The Burden of Choice
by Khaleesi Inara
Summary: The Tributes question if gaining the world is worth their soul. Two misplaced Slayers question whether to find their way home or stay and fight the tyranny of the Capitol.
1. Chapter 1

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta. **

Everything was always silent before a battle. It seemed like every May or so there was always a major apocalypse to be averted. There were a few scattered through out the year but they were mostly pretenders to the throne who didn't know what they were doing and easily overcome. 

Unfortunately this was not currently the case.

Nemesis sat in the chinook, strapped in and contemplated her place in the Slayer army. The thumping of the blades as they flew through the air over Egypt was the only thing heard as each Slayer had nothing to say. Normally the girls were quite loquacious but for this battle, not a word was uttered the entire ride except from the hushed conversations between Buffy and Willow. Before every major battle, she always remembered what brought her there. 

She was only sixteen but had been recruited at ten years old, the youngest Potential their psychics had ever found. Mr. Harris had come to her home and offered her a place in an exclusive boarding school that was touted as the best military learning institution in the country. She wasn't sure if they had done recon on her family or if it was a convenient cover but the one eyed man had won over her parents in spades. She had come from a long history of military and police so a sense of duty and honor had always been instilled in her. She had plans of joining the Marines like her brothers and father before her ; then going into government security once she retired from the military. It was an easy transition into Slayerhood once she found out the truth when she arrived at the school. 

Most of the girls were overwhelmed with the idea of being a Slayer, when they were first told their true heritage. Some came to accept their role and others had turned it down, opting for their powers to be bound and never to think of it again. Nemesis embraced being a Slayer from the start: honor, valor, duty, and destiny; these where things she held dear and in high regard. Even though her parents would never know her true identity, she would never be able to look them in the eyes or stand proud before them if she turned away from her appointed lot in life. Despite not having her powers yet, she felt the pull and a sense of belonging with the Slayer army. She was exactly where she was supposed to be. There was no doubt, no fear, and no going back.

She saw the awakened Slayers' amazing feats of strength, their agility, their natural ability at hunting and yearned to be just like them so she put her all into training. The instruction was harsh and brutal but it was all to make her the best Slayer she could be. They had destroyed who she was to make something better. It was something she had heard repeatedly in her Marine household. **  
><strong>**  
><strong>She was a formidable opponent after three years of training and they had taken her out into the field even though she had not awakened yet and only thirteen. They didn't let her partake in most of the fighting but she was being mentored on tactics and evasion. She had yearned to get into the heat of things but knew when to follow orders. Nemesis was desperate to prove herself so she always signed up for new combat training and even survival training. Her ultimate goal was to become a traveling Slayer; one who would go from town to town, seeking out super natural activity in rural areas that usually got the short end of the stick when it came to their protection. Coming from a small town herself, she felt that it wasn't fair that most Slayer cells and resources were focused only in big cities and towns that had a specific magical epicenter. 

She wasn't considered a full fledged Slayer until she was Called but she was making herself known to those in command. She worked harder and sustained the most injuries a Potential had since Buffy awakened the lines. Several broken bones later, her tenacity made her stand out and it was what convinced Willow to tap her for the new group of Slayers they were building for special training.

After the incident where Buffy met Willow's future insane self, she wanted to make sure that future didn't happen or a repeat of the past. So they had started to gather up Slayers for magical training as well as a more intense combat regimen. The red haired witch agreed and wanted a squad of Elite Slayers that could take her out if the need arose. No Slayer liked the idea of possibly having to kill a beloved mentor but Nemesis saw the wisdom in such a precaution. Willow had goddess level power and if she were ever to turn, even the Slayer army would have trouble subduing her. So Nemesis and fourteen others had been chosen to participate in the new squad. Half were cut within the first week, unable to take the new schooling. Even for a Slayer, most could not handle two weeks straight of constant exercise drills and exhaustion. Nemesis had considered dropping out more than once but the constant memory of her family kept her in it; it's what drove her on. She couldn't fathom letting them or the team down. She took special pride in being the only Potential to pass the course. 

Three more dropped out weeks later when it turned out they didn't have a proclivity for magic. Nemesis was slightly disappointed in herself when she wasn't in the top three of her group in terms of magical ability but she at least was easily one of their top fighters. The magic lessons were a bit boring to her and she felt she'd rather do a lot of things herself than rely on spells. She was more hands on and the piles of books brought her to tears. She trudged through it nonetheless. She learned every medicinal and magical herb there could be found and how to use them. She stayed up late nights learning Latin and other ancient dead languages; she memorized Celtic runes and all the properties of crystals and other precious gems. The next three years she ate and breathed magic and combat. She still wasn't as powerful as the others but she could hold her own. She mostly relied on her own strength and fighting abilities but she found that creating protective barriers and other spells could be useful when in a tight spot. It was especially handy when weaponless. 

The day she was awakened was the best day of her life. She had been eating in the mess hall with the other Elite Slayers, talking this and that. Her birthday was coming up and everyone had been making a big deal of it. She thought it was just another day in light of her duty but to most Slayers another year on earth was quite the accomplishment. While she ate a slice of pizza, she suddenly fell back as if an invisible force had roundhouse kicked her in the head. Visions of a thousand different lifetimes whirled through her head seemingly all at once. She was a Native American princess, a Lady-in-Waiting for Marie Antionette, a woman in white accused of being a witch. It was the consciousness of every Slayer before her and she became part of that chain, adding to the legacy. She was truly apart of something epic and meaningful. For her age, she was stronger and faster than the average girl due to her training. Becoming a full Slayer she felt unstoppable. She finally felt she was complete and in league with all her sister Slayers, who she now shared a deeper connection with. 

Nemesis personally hated the silence that permeated the aircraft and looked to her fellow Elite member, otherwise known as the Jedi once they discovered telekinesis, and decided to make some noise.

**"**Fury, do you think these demons will be hot?" Nemesis asked offhandedly.

The Slayer frowned and then rolled her eyes, used to Nemesis' penchant for the outlandish.

**"**No, Nem. I do not think these demons will be hot. When are they ever hot?"

**"**I'm sick of fighting ugly demons. I want hot demons. Like Balthazar in Constantine hot. Gavin Rossdale made one fine ass demon."

**"**I hear that," the raven haired Revenge piped in.

The entire Slayer army, including the Jedi, was going to the battle and Nemesis couldn't ask for a better team to fight with. 

Fury, their appointed leader, was known for her frenzied and unyielding attacks on demons and vampires. 

Revenge was beautiful as she was deadly. Undefeated with a knife and feared among the demon underground. She could make demons and vampires smile while she killed them. 

Wrath and Blaze, twin sister Slayers; the first ever documented and their resident bomb and pyrotechnic experts respectively. 

These were all nicknames given to them as they got to know each other, saw their fighting styles, or general demeanor. She had come to trust these girl's with her life and served proudly with them. She didn't even know their the names they were born with and they didn't know hers. It was one of the first rules of magic that was taught to them. Names were powerful and it gave others power over them if they knew their true name. Only Buffy, Willow, the rest of the Scoobies, and her parents knew her name. 

**"**I don't think this is an appropriate conversation to have before we fight," a nasally voice intruded in on the conversation.

There were a few Slayers she couldn't stand though.

**"**Why don't you suck my dick Chloe?" Nemesis responded. 

The prim and prissy Slayer looked scandalized and gave her an ugly and disapproving look.

Nemesis had run-ins with the other Slayer before, mostly when the uptight girl would rat her out to the Watchers about "insubordinate and destructive' behavior. Nemesis was known as the party girl Slayer in addition to being in the Elite. She liked to drink and smoke pot on occasion and she didn't understand the other girl's problem. She felt that if she was old enough to put her life on the line for the sake of humanity, then she was old enough to have a drink and had license to partake in what some might consider illegal narcotics. 

**"**I can't believe we share a demon essence with her. Anyway, I'd totally take a demon to pound town if they looked like Gavin Rossdale."

**"**Didn't you try to bone that blonde vampire that helps Buffy?" Blaze asked.

**"**Tried being the operative word. Crashed and burned being the most apt description. Spear or whatever his name is, I later find out was one of Buffy's vampire paramours other than Angel. So if our esteemed leader supreme has a thing for vamps, they got to be awesome in the sack right? Know how to give a good in and out," she said as she crudely thrust her hips mimicking the act. 

Some of the Slayers who weren't used to Nemesis blushed at the display while the others laughed. Only Chloe turned up her nose and looked away. 

**"**So who are we fighting?" Nemesis asked.

**"**We had a briefing about it three days ago," Wrath said astonished that Nemesis seemed to have forgotten.

**"**Come on, that was three days ago. Plus, the name is a total misnomer. Slayer briefings are not brief. It went on for like over an hour and I was jonesing for some time with Armageddon Booty Call Bradley."

**"**That guy you call every time we have an apocalypse?"

**"**You know it. If I'm going to die for the human race then I'm sure as hell going to have at least one more weekend of hot wild monkey sex. Makes me glad we get these at least three times a year."

**"**I talked to him once…he seems nice," Blaze said conversationally.

**"**Psst. He's dumb, pretty, and puts out; just how I like'm," Nemesis replied impishly. 

**"**So anyway, what're the deets on this Big Bad?" she asked again.

**"**Demon Cult of Apep, Egyptian god of Chaos; they're bringing about the end of the world through…chaos-y things."

**"**Why aren't there ever any cool demon cults that bring in the apocalypse in a fun way?"

**"**Like how?"  
><strong><br>****"**Like why aren't there cults to Bacchus that try to bring in the end of the world via orgies and binge drinking? I could be down with that kind of ending. Why is it always death and destruction with these guys?"

**"**Generally that's what makes them evil demons."

**"**Well if they tried to end the world in sex and booze, they'd be a lot more successful I'll tell you what."**  
><strong>**  
><strong>**"**So you'd destroy the world with sex and wine?"

**"**Hell yes."

**"**I suspect you've been trying that on your own, at least if last weekends party was any indication. I always knew you were the silent Big Bad."

**"**Damn you, you figured out my secret!"

**"**You're out of your mind," Revenge said with a laugh. 

**"**Thanks for fixing my dresser by the way," the older Slayer said as an afterthought.

**"**No problem…unless we don't win this fight. Then I spent three hours fixing your antique dresser for nothing and I'll be kind of pissed," Nemesis replied. 

**"**Well I appreciate it either way. Not sure why we call you Nemesis instead of Handyman or something."

**"**One, because I'm the mother fuckin' goddess of divine justice; and two, if anything I'd be mother fuckin' MacGuyver if I had any other nickname. Recognize."

Nemesis emphasized her point by fist pumping and making an exploding sound with Fury. 

The conversation died down and she compulsively moved her knee up and down. Her hands were not idle either as they played with the balisong she always carried with her. Flipping the knife out of its handle in quick precise movements as only someone who has practiced several hours a day since they were ten years old could. The swish and flick of the blade made her neighbors nervous and Revenge said something after she couldn't it anymore.

**"**Nem! Put the butterfly knife away would ya? And stop bouncing your knee, you're making me nervous."

**"**I'm bored."

**"**We're about to fight a demon horde to prevent the apocalypse. How are you bored?"

**"**I don't know. It's just part of what makes me amazing."

The other Slayers never knew if Nemesis was that cocky or if she was kidding; they were pretty certain it was a mix, so they laughed and Wrath asked what they were all thinking.

**"**Did you eat candy?"  
><strong><br>****"**Chica, I am jacked up on Code Red and Swedish Fish. I'm fuckin' ready to go and kick some Chaos demon ass!"

A cheer in the passenger bay rose up and several clinked their weapons. Willow and Buffy smiled indulgently at them and gave their own small cheers. 

Still no one was willing to give up any titillating conversation so Nemesis had to amuse herself, which was never a good idea. 

**"**It's been said and done; every beautiful thought has been already sung. And now here's another one," she sang off key but didn't care, she never did. 

**"****No**," one of the senior Slayers in the front said darkly. "I am not about to go into battle and possibly die listening to you sing Selena Gomez terribly."

Nemesis did not have a vulgar retort as she had respect for the elder Slayers and instead tried another song.

**"**Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world…"

**"**No. **No Journey**. And nothing bastardized by Glee."

That didn't leave Nemesis with many options and was slightly affronted because she loved the musical show. 

**"**Oh mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law..."

**"****Oh hell yes…**lawman has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home."

Both Nemesis and the older Slayer sang together, building up to the chorus.

**"**Oh mama, I can you crying. You're so scared and all alone. Hangman is coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long."

Soon the entire chinook joined in, every Slayer who knew the lines (and some that didn't) sang as loud as they could,

**"**The jig is up, the news it out they've finally found me. The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty. Never more to go astray, this will be the end today of the wanted man." 

They all sang with the passion that could only be inspired by Styx, until they had landed and soon had to unboard the plane. 

As the Slayer army disembarked the plane, Nemesis hummed to herself the tune of Renegade and a thought struck her.

**"**Shit, I forgot to set the DVR for this week's Glee."

* * *

><p>The Jedi, Willow, and Buffy stood on a dusty hill overlooking the Valley of the Dead. The hot and arid air hit them and Nemesis immediately knew she hated Egypt.<p>

**"**_I wonder if they purposefully gather in hot places to get us ready for hell_," she thought idly to herself. 

Generally apocalyptic rituals happened at night but this one wanted to happen midday in the summer in one of the hottest countries. It was as if they specifically chose that time of day to piss her off. 

**"**Demons are such douchers for doing this when it's so freaking hot," she said out loud and it garnered a few snickers. 

Normally a tourist spot, it was closed off for "repairs." The demon horde had been growing for a while and it took several missing people for the new Watcher's council to finally take notice. The demon underworld had been buzzing about this apocalypse for a while, it seemed like it was a consensus that this one was different than the rest; that this one would be the actual one to end it all. 

The Valley of the Dead looked none too impressive to the casual onlooker. Unassuming crypt entrances poked out from the ground, looking like poorly built Hobbit holes. There were always two sides to every "wonder of the world." The tourist side that people flocked to and marveled at the great architectural accomplishments, where the Civilians could enter some graves, take pictures, and go on their merry little way. Others, who knew better, knew that there was more than what met the eye. Certain crypts led to an underground labyrinth that housed ancient holy sites. These sites were going to be used to bring about the end of days.

**"**_Not if I can help it_," Nemesis thought to herself as Willow and Buffy thought of a battle plan. 

**"**Hey guys," a cheerful voice they knew well grabbed their attention. 

They turned around to see Willow in full on battle gear, which was mostly army fatigues and she knew how to rock them. Nemesis didn't know if it was the direct influence of Buffy but somehow they always got uniforms that emphasize their femininity rather than suppress it.

Most Slayers were dressed the same way. The Jedi had some added elements to their attire such as various gemstones, bottles, and other magical paraphernalia. Other than that, they were all decked in olive green, which complemented her tan beautifully she thought to herself; battle pants, shit kickers, and wife beaters along with holsters for steaks and individual weapons with knee and shoulder pads complete the ensemble.  
><strong><br>**The two leaders seemed to have come to an agreement and Buffy flew off to meet with the other Slayers on the ground. The red headed witch turned to them and said,

**"**Ok Jedi, Buffy is going with the ground forces and doing a first wave attack. Once she gives the signal, we go in work our magic. Literally. Blaze and Wrath, this is a closed in space so that means not a whole lot of oxygen; so no fires or bombs."

**"**Well, at least there's still gratuitous violence," Wrath said after a beat of disappointment their specialty wasn't going to be used. 

**"**That's the spirit. Now this group is wrapped in a mysterious mystery so we're not one hundred percent sure what they're about other than trying to bring him to this realm to create…uhh _chaos_. Make black white, up down, time…not time." Willow rattled off but had a slight confused look on her face at her last example.

**"**We need you girls bring on your 'A' game. I know what you're thinking. 'Oh this is just another apocalypse, no big.' But it is a big and we need to deal with it like we do with other big-y things. Are you all powered up?"

Each of us raised our hands and our individual specialties made themselves known.

Blaze and Wrath, of course, had fire flicker from their hands. 

**"**We also have our Zippos, just in case" Wrath assured the red haired witch. 

While they can create fire, using magic could also be draining. So if they're ever in a pinch or feeling fatigued, they can use their Zippos. It's easier to manipulate fire, or anything, coming from a source rather than creating it and then manipulating it.

Fury raised her hand and created a slight breeze. This was just the tip of that useful power. While some creatures did not need air, such as vampires, most demons did. So when she manipulated the air around them to freeze or simply leave their lungs, it was always an interesting sight to see. 

Revenge simply gave off a deep royal purple, her aura sending out influence to trip up the enemy. Everything about her was mesmerizing, even the way she killed.

Nemesis raised both hands and put them together as if in prayer. She slowly pulled them apart to reveal small crackles of electricity. A mischievous thought makes it way into her mind, as it usually does, and she pointed a finger to the nearest person to her. It happened to be Revenge. The black haired beauty did not appreciate the prank but gave the blonde Nemesis a knowing smirk. It promised her namesake and she knew that after the battle she was in for it. There was guaranteed retribution shining in Revenge's eyes and Nemesis could tell she was already formulating a plan. **  
><strong>  
>"I know we're about to walk into a demon's den and possibly die…but I can't help myself," she laughed because she knew she started another prank war. Thinking things through was never her strong suit.<p>

Willow and Fury gave each other a knowing look, used to Nemesis's shenanigans but gave a small laugh. The youngest member of the group could be a handful at times but she definitely knew how to diffuse a tense situation. 

**"**OK, that's good girls. Nem, remember that there isn't a storm and no electricity in the chamber. So you don't have a source and more likely to fatigue faster. Try not to use, unless you absolutely have to." Willow warned.

They all understood we were about to rush into battle in a dark, dank, underground oversized tomb and magic might not be the best way to go. Overall they were taught to use magic as a last resort, so they were planning to use their awesome natural Slayer abilities for the first line of defense. And the second… and probably the third.

Willow gave them the rundown of the general plan of attack. Buffy was going to head up the front with the brunt force of the army behind her. They were going to take care of the mass of demon thugs meant to protect the inner circle cult doing their thing to bring about bedlam.

Willow and the Jedi will be the second wave to disrupt the ritual and prevent all hell from breaking loose.

No sweat.

Just another apocalypse in the life of a Slayer.

**A/N: First crossover fic! Hopefully I can do both fandoms justice. **

**Happy Reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

They stood on the dusty hill waiting for the signal to attack. Even though the world was on the brink of destruction all Nemesis could think about was how boring the scenery looked. 

"_Beige, beige, and more beige. Why is there so much sand around here?_**" **she thought to herself.

That's all there seemed to be; miles and miles of taupe sand and then after that…more sand. Even the bright sun in its zenith couldn't illuminate the dull rocks. 

For the focal point of an apocalypse, the Valley of Kings did not make the top five most impressive sites list. Probably not even top ten. All there seemed to be was dust, sand, and gravel. There was a small winding road between the hills with openings throughout the valley. The openings are the entrances to the various catacombs hidden underneath.

"I know there is probably an impressive labyrinth below the surface, but so far I am decidedly _under-whelmed _at the moment" Nemesis commented to her comrades while she cocked her head in contemplation.

"It disturbs me greatly that we're about to go into a life or death situation and the vista is what you're most concerned about" Wrath replied sardonically.

Nemesis ignored the tone in her voice because she knew the other Slayer was nervous. One of her specialties, explosives, was black listed from this particular battle. She knew how it felt. Not being able to do what you do best feels like being handicapped.

Plus the other Slayer was probably hungry. She got really testy when she was famished. Usually Nemesis would offer candy but she thought it better to let the other girl fight while pissed off. It was only bad news for the demons. 

Nemesis could sense the time was getting near for them to join the battle, the rumble of the fight could be felt underfoot. Her blood started to move quickly in her veins and it took all her will power not to move. 

"Hey Fury, if I don't make it out; tell my parents I died in a fire saving orphans," she said in all seriousness.

As morbid as it was, Nemesis always had a last "dying wish" she told a fellow Slayer to tell her parents in case she didn't survive. She hated that she had to lie but it was all apart of her secret Slayer lifestyle. If her parents couldn't know her supernatural abilities and noble calling then she was going to make sure they knew that she died a hero. 

"I guess that's more believable than you pushing the Pope out of the way of an out of control vehicle," their leader said, referring to the last death scenario Nemesis came up with. 

"Hey, my family is legit hardcore Catholic. They would have eaten that shit up."

A sudden dark body of light shot out from one of the entrances, gaining our undivided attention. The ball blazing like a dark star; black and white diamond sparkles.

It was Buffy's sign for the Jedi; they now knew which entrance to go into and where to go. It was the magical version of bread crumbs…just follow the sparkles.

With no hesitation, all of the Elite sprinted to the edge of the hill and made a giant leap.  
><strong><br>**They were freefalling into in the valley.

While Willow had taught them how to fly, it wasn't worth the use of their power as they could land safely from the height, despite how great it was.

Falling in such a way reminded Nemesis how freeing flying was like. Although the ground is rushing up at her, she was not afraid. Maybe because she's jumped from higher places; such as buildings in New York or castles in Scotland and she knew she could survive. Being a Slayer has the advantages of making them hardy and resilient.

They all land with a distinctive thud and a plume of dust mushroomed around them. They absorbed the impact as if they jumped off a curb and they took off running. Behind her she heard the other thuds from the rest of the Jedi and their ensuing footsteps.

As they were running she heard Revenge start to sing. "Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere."

Nemesis smiled and joined in. She couldn't help but get motivated for a fight when Journey was involved.

"Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit, he took the midnight train going anywhere."

They entered the tomb and quickly made our way through the labyrinth, the sparkle trail leading them exactly where they needed to go. They slowed their pace because they weren't sure what they're heading into. If Buffy taught them anything, it's to only fight when they felt they had the upper hand, otherwise run until they did.

The path turned narrow, walls filled with worn hieroglyphics top to bottom. Probably tales of the king buried here or ominous warnings of what slept inside. Nemesis resisted the temptation to hone her hieroglyphic translating skills, feeling that she might as well use the hours upon hours of studying the pictographs. But there was no time to take in the sites and appreciate the history. The phrases she caught here and there told of the horror that awaited them in the underground cavern. She wondered what kind of king would welcome chaos.

"_It doesn't fucking matter because there's always some asshat that erects this or that to bring about Armageddon, whether they mean to or not_," she thought angrily. 

Even as quickly as they were moving without running, it took awhile to get where they're supposed to be. They kept just going further and further down, a never ending chasm. 

The sparkles stopped suddenly at a huge open area. Right in the middle was a gigantic white marble obelisk. Slithering up and around the monument was an equally giant onyx snake with its head devouring the point.

From her sparse knowledge of Egyptian architecture and mythology, she worked out what was going on.

"_The obelisk was a monument for Ra, the sun god. So the snake, Apep, devouring the sun was to bring about darkness and chaos. So __that __explained why the ritual is at twelve in the afternoon. When the sun is, and by extension Ra, is highest in the sky. Ra is fully exposed and open to attack. OK, got it. I'm a freakin' genius. So our job is to stop snake boy from having a Sunkist snack_."

Their sister Slayers were already fighting random demon thugs. They were the stereotypical demons, all horns and muscles. They were easy enough to deal with, the slayers taken them down with graceful force and determination. The only reason they were struggling at all was the sheer numbers of the demons.

The sister Slayers were dealing with them, so the Jedi looked beyond the mass of fighting bodies and to the center where the cenotaph was surrounded by a different breed of demon.

These demons were obviously big on the mojo.

The otherwise pitch black enclosure was lit by the magic of the demons. Pure energy radiated over and around them, the power pulsated a baby powder blue. If it wasn't indicative of impending doom, Nemesis would have said it was pretty. Like a shining star in the midnight sky.

"OK despite impending doom it is pretty," she admitted as she was partial to all things sparkly. 

For a moment she was fascinated by the movement of the light and appreciated the beauty of pure power.

She felt a slight shake and she woke out of her daze. Revenge was to the side of her, indicating she's the one who pushed her out of her stupor. She knew Nemesis all too well.

"Right, focus Nem! Doom is upon us," she told herself, willing her ADD to not take over.

They saw Willow flying ahead of them and she took note of the situation. She made army hand signals and told them two Jedi to a demon.  
><strong><br>**The twins naturally paired together and Fury went with Willow, which left Revenge and Nemesis to work together. It was fine with them because they made a great team.

They made their way through the demon horde to get to the gooey magical center with the crunchy chaos worshipper pieces.

It was easy enough. The thugs were mostly there for show, no brains to them. A stab here, a disembowelment there, and down they go.

Such fragile things.

"Strangers, waiting up and down the boulevard. Their shadows searching in the night. Streetlight people, living just to _find_**" **Nemesis sang as she did an impressive about twirl and swing to behead another thug demon in her way. "Emotion. Hiding somewhere in the niiiiggghht."

She loved her job.

"Working hard to get my…" she was rudely interrupted by a chaos worshiper kicking her right in my stomach like a steel girder, knocking her several feet and to the ground.

That part of the job, not so much.

For little guys in robes, the demons were a lot stronger than they looked. Quickly, she was back on her feet and running to get momentum to return the favor.

She felt a sense of satisfaction to hear a nice crunch as her fist met the demon's nose. At least it's where his nose should have been. Apep's little lackeys had a serpentine quality to them that left them sans noses.

His, she guessed it was a he, smooth bald head gleamed under the light of the incantation his cohorts were creating. Because of the blue light the spell was giving off, she couldn't quite tell what color his scales were. Possibly burnt sienna but there wasn't enough light to tell for sure. Good thing he wasn't sparkly or incandescent or she'd be mesmerized. His overall face was little more than an oval, egg shaped ball with two eyes, two little slits where a nose should be and a huge oversized mouth with wicked elongated fangs.

His jewel toned eyes were a sight to behold though. Evil looking black slits adorned a backdrop of peridot, almost shining with their own inner hellish light. He stares at her with hatred in his inhuman eyes and impossibly long fangs.

"_If he's anything like his snake counterpart in the animal kingdom, slits mean he's poisonous. So note to self: Do not let him bite you_," she thought to myself as she blocked his attacks.

She moved herself to a more comfortable position and made a few attacks of her own.

"So is Lord Voldemort here, or does he deem himself above visiting his fan club?" she ask robed snake man as she swung her long sword several times at his head, but he was quick to avoid her weapon.

The Slayer was just as quick, causing a stale mate because they were meeting each other blow for blow; evasion for evasion.

"What? Nothing to say? Should I speak in parsaltongue? Tsss!"

Still nothing, the demon remained silent as he tried to kill her.

"Great, years of perfecting my witty banter are wasted on you." She said just as he grabbed her arm. She swiftly maneuvered to escape his grasp and increased her efforts in fighting. 

"No one touches me without my permission!" she growled at him.

The intensity of their struggle led us to the ground, with snake guy on top and pressing her own weapon down, trying to strangle her with it. If his face wasn't scaring her before, it was when it's an inch away from her face. His fangs are fully exposed and are getting dangerously close to her throat.

Suddenly his mouth closes and his face scrunches into a look of confusion. Hers did the same as she's not totally sure what happened. She felt him slacken his hold and threw him off her. She saw that he was dead and Revenge was cleaning her double swords on her cargo pants.

"Thanks, but I had that totally under control." she told the other Jedi and they took a breather while the fight raged around them.

"Yeah I could totally tell while you were on your back. But I guess that's where you're most comfortable" she replied.

"Oh, you got slut jokes. OK, I see how it is. How is that last guy you hooked up with? He graduate middle school yet?"

"So not funny…" she took a pause from their friendly repartee to take care of a demon thug coming from the side. A few slices with her swords and he went down.

"He was eighteen and very energetic, if you catch my drift. Besides, you're only sixteen and have slept with more guys than me. I need to catch up."

"Yeah so he claims. His voice sounded like his balls hadn't even dropped yet. And it's not my fault that you waited until your twenties to figure out that sex is awesome."

As Nemesis finished the sentence, she sensed a demon coming from behind her. She easily used his momentum against him as she thrust her sword behind her and impaled him.

"He's just naturally high pitched. He's a soprano for his high school's show choir," she defended her choice of bedmate.

While Revenge tried to defend her cradle robbing actions, Nemesis saw a demon right behind her. The black haired Slayer's teenage lover had her distracted enough that she didn't seem to sense him coming right at her. Nemesis swiftly reached into her cargos and grabbed her ballistics knife. She took aim and shot true.**  
><strong>  
>Training ten hours a day paid off when she nailed the demon right between the eyes. Revenge didn't flinch because she knew the blonde Slayer would never aim for her. The only thing that moved was a slight wisp of her curly black hair as the knife is flied past her ear and right into the demon's head.<p>

"Whoa, good shot." she complimented as she turned her torso slightly to see the damage. "OK, no more talk of our sexcapades; too distracting."

"What do you want to tease each other about?"

"How about your epic fail at bantering with that chaos worshipping demon? Seriously, Harry Potter references?"

"What? I scoff at your jealousy of my awe inspiring bantering skills," she replied.

There wasn't time to come up with a witty retort because Nemesis saw just beyond her Blaze struggling with her own Apep follower. Willow was right, there really ought to be two of them to a demon.

"Shit. Revenge, help me with an up and over straight behind you."

She complied immediately and crouched down with both hands intertwined to cradle the blonde's foot. Nemesis got a running start and jump into Revenge's awaiting hands. With the strength of a Slayer she propels her into the air; her weapon ready and fell straight towards the demon. Blaze must have sensed her coming because she quickly detaches from the fight and gave her room to run through the demon right in its head.

There was a definitive crunch and squish as her sword pierced its skull then brain matter. If she wasn't so desensitized to such things, she would have thought it gross. But she nonchalantly removed her weapon but not without some difficulty. She had hit the damn thing with such force, the blade was imbedded to its hilt. She had to use her foot to push against the creature's shoulder and jiggle the handgrip back and forth to loosen it from its fleshy prison.

"You know Blaze, you ought to get a real weapon, something that I.D.K., actually does _fatal _damage," she pointedly told the other Slayer in slang, referring to the bo staff she favored. While the bo staff was great for keeping enemies away and defense, it kind of sucked at killing things. Bloody thing didn't even have a point to it.

Nemesis's advice was lost on her because she went straight to fighting another demon.

"Right, just ignore me and listen to your iPod. I don't even know why I bother."

"Because hope springs eternal, a hope that one day she might actually listen to you." Revenge said as she came beside her.

"Indeed. Though I will admit I am impressed when she does that sweeping motion with her staff and blinds her opponent with sand."

They both witnessed such a maneuver and indeed were duly impressed.

Fury then joined the fight next to them and proceeded to raise her hand to the next snake demon and see his chest collapse into itself.

Both Revenge and Nemesis winced, because that had to hurt. It was pretty awesome to see her use the "Force" to rush all the air out of her enemy's lungs, essentially creating a vacuum in their chest cavity.

"Should I worry that I get almost gleeful when she does that?" Nemesis asked her companion.

"Nah, it's just a demon." she replies dismissively.

"Right. Just a demon." While she believed what she said, a part of her worried if they're getting too desensitized and bloodthirsty.

She didn't have time to contemplate the issue; more snake demons were coming at them. There were more than we thought at first. Seemed that their fallen brethren alerted the others and they started to come out of the woodwork. As one fell, another took his place at the statue.

The glow was getting brighter and she assumed that means they are gaining more power. It was to the point where it was no longer a soft glow but an intense beam of light. Crackles of energy start to emit from the effigy and where it struck, strange things started to appear.

One strike zone across the way turned the stone floor littered with dirt into quicksand. Slayer and demon alike are caught in its quagmire. There was a little bit of panic, but the Jedi were on it. They use their telekinesis to help the trapped Slayers out of the sandy whirlpool and leave the demons to their fate.

She could only hope that this doesn't happen too often because fatigue would set in for the Jedi quickly and it was not the time nor place to get any kind of tired.

The Jedi fought ferociously to try to interrupt the ceremony but the snake demons would not stop coming. It was like a never ending chain, the more they kill the more they came.

It was to our advantage to work as a team. While the snake demons were a formative opponent one on one, they don't multi-task well. So attacking on a two or three front seemed to do the trick.

Despite their teamwork the battle raged on with no apparent end in sight.

Worry starts to seep into Nemesis' chest as well as fatigue. There were a lot more chaos demons than she could count. She normally never got nervous but hated it when she did. It was a sick feeling at the core of her that she couldn't ignore; she felt like her blood thickened as it rushed through her heart, making it heavier. The battle was no longer excitement. There was no longer an adrenaline rush. This was the verge of panic and she could not afford to lose her head. It took all of her years of training to stop her hands from shaking and hold her weapon steady. To move on after seeing sister Slayer after sister Slayer fall at the hands of a demon.

Her breathing became more ragged as she fought off more and more demons. There were not enough Jedi or Slayers to fight two to one.

They were also dodging the power from the effigy as it created madness wherever it landed.

The Jedi had no choice but to use magic to stave off the worse effects of the chaos magiks. There seemed to be no method or predictable pattern to what happened when the lightening struck. Plague of lice, frozen ice sheets, loss of gravity, seismic activity, tasting purple…all things to throw them off and they had to adjust to as quickly as possible.

Time was slowing down as the fight felt like it was never going to end.

Time was also going faster, faster than they could keep up with.

Nemesis was lost in a haze of demons whizzing around her. The fight turned into a blur of punches, kicks, blocks, and evasions.

That was what Chaos was; everything happening at once and not at all in one small microcosm with no control or any sense of order.

Nemesis started to ache everywhere, head to toe. The demons got a few lucky punches in…a lot of punches in…and kicks…and scratches.

She did her best to stay near Fury and Revenge. While she was getting her ass handed to her, she still felt the need to be near them. To make sure she was there when they need help.

The fight seems to be coming to a pinnacle because she saw Willow go all white-haired goddess-y on them. She was gathering some serious power and Nemesis felt things were about to end in an epic way.

She knew how powerful Willow was and hope started to blossom within her, replacing the despair that was teetering on the edge of her mind.

This hope was replaced by disbelieve when a demon came behind Revenge as she was fighting off other demons and thrust his razor sharp claws through her back. The Slayer fell to her knees, life quickly escaping her eyes.

"NOOO!" Nemesis screamed in agony but the sound was lost among the fray.

She gathered the power of her anger into one big burst of power and sent the surrounding demons flying away. The battle raged on but she took the precious last moments of life that Revenge had to be with her.

"Come Rev, don't die on me now. You have to get me back for the shock I gave you earlier," she cried as she held the Jedi she was closest to.

"I can heal you…" she began desperately trying to figure a way to save her friend.

"Don't…waste of magics," Revenge coughed out, blood seeping from her mouth. They both knew it would have been fruitless and only endanger Nemesis. At the moment the blonde didn't care, she only wanted her friend to live.

"Will you play that song when this is through? That song I love…" she tried to remember but as darkness crept into her eyes, she couldn't remember the tune she loved so much.

"Blackbird?"

Revenge nodded as talking had become such a burden. She had only one last thing to say,

"Julie Stark."

"What?"

"Julie Stark. My name is Julie Stark. Someone should know that. I was named after my grandmother Juliana. She survived the Holocaust when they gathered up the Romani. She gave me this necklace…please take it."

With one last cough and spurt of blood, she lay lifeless in Nemesis's arms. She cried for the loss of her friend and held her close. She knew she had to move soon but she gave a moment of respect to the dead, Revenge deserved that much. She looked up and saw the fight was still going strong and that Willow was still gathering her own strength.

The fight was far from over and she felt the need to do violence. Lots and lots of violence. She examined the necklace that the departed Slayer wore; it was a simple silver pendant of the Wheel of Fortune. Inscribed on the back was "Fortes Fortuna Adivuat," fortune favors the bold. 

A demon noticed her weakness and took advantage of her immobile state. He got one claw sliced into her shoulder. The sharp pain exploded through her arm and jostled her out of her mourning and into a rage. She made short work of the monster and set toward the next demon.  
><strong><br>**Nemesis developed her second wind and felt she could take on the entire demon horde. She was renewed with energy, adrenaline pumping once again; her hatred, loss, and anger fueling her.

She fought her through a few demons and they seem to sense her madness at losing her best friend; they started to scatter at her presence. They also seemed to have the sense to stay away from pretty swirling circles of possible catastrophe. 

With a battle cry that resounded through the cavern, she decimated all demons around her. She struck down with the ferocity of a maddened woman and soon everyone around her was not safe. She started to be unable to differentiate demon from Slayer in her rage and everyone gave her a wide berth. Only Chloe stood her ground.

"What the hell are you doing Nemesis? You're totally out of control!" the small brunette Slayer screamed at her.

Nemesis started to feel dizzy and couldn't concentrate on anything. She looked down her arm and saw a tiny river of blood that looked like it's not going to stop anytime soon.

"Fuck, that bastard might have punctured my circumflex scapular artery," she said, remembering her field medic training. Unfortunately she didn't have the time or supplies to stitch herself up.

She paid no attention to Chloe, only wanting the world to feel her loss. She knew that she was probably going to die soon, so she felt she ought to take out as many demons on the way as she could. The two Slayers fought side by side, Chloe sending demon to the frenzied Slayer as she was pragmatic enough to use any situation to her advantage. So engrossed in the fight, neither Slayer noticed the burst of power from the center of the cave. **  
><strong>  
>This strike did not land on the ground but seemed to stop mid air and created an iridescent blue vortex, reminiscent of a spiral galaxy; beautiful and timeless.<p>

Chloe and Nemesis happened to be nearest to the swirling mass. They didn't to notice it as they were busy fighting the Apep demons. Both women were thrown by their opponents into the unknown maelstrom and disappeared.

**A/N: I promise this is a cross over! lol **

**Hope you guys like it and reviews are love!**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

**Basically I'm taking whatever parts I like and help me fits things into place. lol**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

Katniss followed the wired fence until she got to the spot she used to escape into the wilderness. She had enough food for the day so she didn't need to hunt; she just needed to get away.

The Victory Tour of the 74thHunger Games had just concluded and she hated to see the smug face of the winner from District 2. She didn't know that year's contestants from District 12 very well, both from the merchant side of town. The only thing that stood out to her was that it was the first year that her sister, Primrose, was eligible for the Reaping. Prim was understandably nervous but she had assured her sister that chances were slim that the younger Everdeen would be chosen. She didn't know how long she could keep saying that as each year for the next six years she could be proven wrong. She still forbade her sister from accepting tesserae, she loved her too much to take any chance of increasing the likelihood of her being picked. Especially since the next Games were there Quarter Quell and who knew what awful rule the Capitol thought of seventy four, going on seventy five, years ago for the special Games. 

The other memorable aspect of that Reaping was the strange purple lighting storm that had plagued District 12 and the rest of Panem that day. There were Peacekeepers roaming the forest, ruining her hunting time, to make sure everything was "secure." What they thought the lighting was threatening, Katniss wasn't sure but not a lot from the Capital made sense to her; especially the fashion that their appointed Capital representative, Effie Trinket, wore to each Reaping. That year, she chose a pale pink wig that was in disarray the entire time. It was probably from the turbulence the lightening caused to her hover craft and being in such a poor district, she didn't have anyone to fix it before she had to go on live television. The small imperfection seemed rattle the Capital citizen enough that she was visibly upset instead of her usual obliviously happy self. The artificially pale woman hadn't even bothered to make a spectacle of choosing the Tributes. Usually she did a flourish and twirl of her hand in the fish bowls but instead she had quickly dipped her hand and picked the first name she got her hands on. She had heard rumors that other districts were just as affected and a lot of mishaps occurred. Overall everything that could go wrong went wrong for the Games, it was said it was the most disastrous one rating wise in its history. The Capitol was not pleased, especially since they had to reuse last year's arena due to "technical difficulties" with the planned one. The Games had gone so bad that it was rumored that the Head Gamemaker, Senna Crane, was forced to "resign" and in Capitol speak that meant President Snow probably murdered him. No one could ever prove it and no one ever spoke of such things but the knowing tones of gossipers were all but convinced that Gamemaking was a do or die profession. 

Effie's quick clipped speech was more succinct than normal and it was clear she just wanted to get out of District 12 as soon as possible. It didn't help that the only Victor they had, Haymich Abernathy, had shown up drunk, spoke incoherently to the cameras, and then fell off the stage. 

The two Tributes, Cole Caldwell and Daisy Ross, had been whisked away and she never saw them again until the mandated Games watching in the village square. Neither lasted very long, the boy Tribute had died in the Bloodbath and the girl a few days later from exposure. District 12 had never fared well in the games; neither did the poorer Districts like 11 or 10. 

That day they had to stand through the smug looks of the winner and listen to trite speeches of how proud he was to serve his District. He made the obligatory condolences to the families and pretended that he didn't want to murder them in cold blood so he could have a nice house and live comfortably for the rest of his life. The winner, Marcus Salonianus, was a juggernaut of strength and had an unfair advantage as a Career Tribute. Although training for the Games was illegal, it was laughable at how obvious the Careers skill levels were far superior to the rest of the districts. The Capitol turned a blind eye but everyone knew that the massively muscled Tributes were not built by mistake or coincidence. Marcus killed without mercy or thought, gleefully taking the lives of the weaker Tributes. Another winner hailing from District 2 and Katniss was sure the next Games would have another one. 

Katniss came to the open field, the grass as tall as her hips. She thought the land beautiful and peaceful, an escape from her everyday life of struggle. She saw that her hunting partner, Gale, had already occupied the hill looking deep in thought; a pensive scowl on his face and she knew that she would be hearing one of his famous rants. 

"The mighty Capital parades another puppet for the masses," he said as she sat down beside him.

Gale was particularly despondent that day because his birthday had come and gone and he would soon work in the mines. They had yet to talk about it but he wouldn't be able to hunt with her everyday like before. Like with most of her feelings towards Gale, she didn't know where she stood on the issue and never put thought to it. She had other more important issues to attend to, such as surviving and taking care of her sister. He never brought up the topic so she was happy with the subject on the back burner. She had heard the town gossip that said they'd eventually marry and scoffed at their idleness. She couldn't believe that they would waste time on frippery, especially when any year they could be chosen and die in the arena.

Objectionably, she knew it would be harder to hunt on her own. She wouldn't be able to carry as many kills back to the Hob or make as many traps in the same amount of time. Subjectively, she knew it'd be a lot lonelier. She had hunted with him practically everyday for the past three years and he helped keep her family fed and thriving. He taught her everything she knew about snares and traps. She wasn't sure what he'd do for food because mining work hardly paid anything to cover the cost of living. 

Another part of her would miss his company because he was seriously her only real friend. Greasy Sae was more of a grandmother figure and they exchanged goods. It wasn't like what she and Gale had. She wasn't sure what she and Gale had but she knew it was something she dreaded ending. She was grateful for the lone Sunday they would have to hunt together and they could pretend it was like old times.

She didn't want to get into a conversation about the Capital so she pretended he didn't say something that could get him publicly whipped,

"When do you start in the mines?"

"Three days. That's how long it'll take my gear to get here from District 8 as well for them to do all my paperwork; bureaucracy at its finest. Takes three days for them to label me for life with a job I don't want. District 12 needs so many jobs filled other than miners but no, they want to work us to death to gather their precious coal. So we can power their high rises and gadgets while we have limited amount of electricity each day and rolling blackouts," he said angrily as he pulled the grass and tore it apart. 

Katniss imagined he pretended it was a Peacekeeper or even President Snow he was mutilating.

She agreed with everything he said, even though he had said it many times before. It wasn't fair that they worked twelve hour days to mine for coal they never got to keep unless they bought it or snuck some in through their boots. It wasn't fair that their number one killer was starvation and the only way to survive was to take tesserae and illegally hunt. The whole situation wasn't fair but there was nothing they could do about it. It was the way things were and there was no changing it. Even talking about any kind of change was punishable by a bullet in the head. That was the world they lived in and there wasn't another. All they could do was survive the best they could and provide for the ones they loved. 

The sky suddenly crackled with a loud boom and a streak of bright purple hit the ground in the distance. They felt the earth rumble beneath them from the impact and they quickly got up to assess the situation, ready to run if need be. Nothing had happened the long moments they waited and listened. There were no alarms or any hovercrafts in the distance. 

"I guess we're too far out for them to notice," Gale commented.

Katniss didn't care either way; she just wanted to get out of there.

"We should go. It's starting to get dark out and the new Peacekeepers arrived today as well. They always need to prove themselves so no sense in giving them reason to punish us."

She referred to the yearly Peacekeeper exchange in District 12. Effie wasn't the only one who thought they were above being in their part of Panem, so there was a guard change to give Peacekeepers a chance to go to a richer District. Almost all of them opted to leave each year and only new recruits were assigned to the outskirts of the nation. For the first couple of weeks the new Peacekeepers felt the need to show who was boss and that they were above being there. After they realized they were there for at least a year, they settled down and partook in the corruption like the ones before them. They valued comfort and satisfying their craving for real meat and fresh game over the strict anti-poaching laws. 

Katniss did not look forward to the coming weeks; not only would she not have Gale with her, there wouldn't be as much trade or money coming in due to the absence of Peacekeepers buying her game. 

She started to walk back towards the gate but Gale had other things in mind. He trudged towards where the lightening struck and Katniss quickly caught up to him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked in disbelief. 

"I'm seeing what all of the fuss is about. The lightening caught the attention of the Peacekeepers six months ago and I want to see what they went looking for."

"Are you crazy? It's just lightening, who cares about where it randomly strikes?"

"No Catnip, it has to mean something. The Capital wouldn't investigate if it was just lightening. For one thing, it's purple. For another, it messed with their hovercrafts. You saw how jostled Effie was at the last Reaping. Have you ever seen her looking less than perfect? For the Capital I mean."

Katniss saw the logic in his argument but it didn't mean that they should go looking for trouble. 

"Alright, let's say we find something. What exactly are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know…I just want to check it out."

Katniss saw that there was no talking Gale out of it so she followed him in case he got into any trouble.

As they quickly marched into the wooded area where the lightening struck, Gale couldn't help but feel he was onto something. For the longest time he had witnessed the injustice of the Capital on his District and the horrors of the Games; he desperately desired change but had no way of going about it. He had no idea where to start and a small part of him thought it might start with the abnormal event. It was small and probably nothing but it had effected a Capital vehicle. He knew that it wasn't a big deal but it meant something to him. It meant that the Capital, even in such a minute manner, wasn't perfect and their technology had weak points. Something had jarred Capital property and not only that, it had piqued their interest as well. There were no reports regarding the odd weather, despite questions from the citizens. The Peacekeepers brushed it off as odd weather and one official went as far as to suggest it might be testing from the Gamekeepers for the Quarter Quell. Gale suspected it was a scare tactic, there was something in the tone of the lead Peacekeeper's voice, a look in his eyes; something that told him the officer was desperate to suppress the questions and keep them ignorant. Darius, the youngest Peacekeeper they knew, was a good customer and lax with the laws. He was always easygoing and if she was forced to like a Peacekeeper, she'd like him. She even suspected that he might be one of the few that stayed in District 12. 

The small wooded area they explored did not looked disturbed in the slightest. A cold Fall breeze blew through the maples, slightly shaking the last vestiges of their leaves. The forest was dead and lay dormant, waiting for Spring to come back to life. 

"Alright, we came and saw what the big deal was about. Turns out it's nothing. Let's go," Katniss implored.

"No, something strange is going on," Gale insisted.

"What's strange? There is absolutely nothing weird about this place. We've been here hundreds of times and it looks exactly like it should this time of year."

"Yes, that's what is so strange. If lightening struck, don't you think there should be something on fire? Or at the very least smoldering? It's as if the lightening never happened."

An uncomfortable feeling started to grow inside of Katniss' gut as Gale's words sank in. She knew he was right, it was so normal that it was strange. They saw, heard, and even felt the lightening; they didn't imagine it. So the area should be disturbed somehow but all she saw was the natural forest growth covered with light snow. 

They walked further and still nothing, Katniss' anxiety started to grow and she very much wanted to go back to town. 

"Come on Gale, maybe it hit further than we thought. There's nothing her…" she stopped short as two figures lie motionless before them.

Both teens rushed to the still bodies, seeing if they were still alive. They each examined one and both lay their heads across the stranger's chests to hear for a heart beat. 

"She's alive," Gale stated and Katniss nodded her head in agreement. 

As soon as they both realized neither girl was dead, they took inventory of the situation. 

Both girls seemed young but it was hard to tell with the grime that marred their faces. They took note of the strange attire each wore. The dark clothing reminded them of Peacekeeper uniforms but instead of stark white, they were an olive green color made darker by dirt and other substances Katniss could only guess was blood. 

"Do they have any ID on them?" Gale asked as he started to pat down the one in front of him, making sure his hands didn't touch her unnecessarily and avoided her obvious wounds.

Katniss explored the other girl and didn't come up with any kind of identification, only strange objects like polished rocks and bags of herbs. She didn't recognize all of them but some of them she did.

"_What is she doing with spotted thistle and black snake root?_**" **she thought to herself.

Suspicion started to arise the further she explored the girl. Katniss guessed she was about her age and they shared a similar body type but that's where the similarities ended. Where Katniss had long straight pitch black hair, the girl had wavy blonde hair…at least she thought it was blonde. It was hard to tell under the dirt and grime. What raised her suspicions, though, was that at the end of her blonde hair there was a shock of pink at the tips. The girl had the look of those in town and not the Seam so at first Katniss thought she might be from the wealthier part of District 12. The dyed hair though, especially in such an unnatural color, was something only the Capitol was apt to do. 

Katniss looked her over for more wounds or any kind of identification and her fears were becoming more and more pronounced. She looked at the arms of the unconscious girl and saw that she had tattoos on her wrists, more evidence that the girl was not from around there or even the nearest district, District 11. 

"Gale, we need to get out of here," she whispered harshly to him. Even though both girls were out cold, she didn't want to risk waking them.

"And just leave them here?" he asked shocked that Katniss could be so cold hearted. 

"Gale, **look**," she said as she brandished the tattooed wrist. 

His eyes widened in understanding, knowing that only those in the Capitol were rich and vain enough to decorate their body so.

"This one doesn't have any kind of mark on her though that suggests she's from the Capitol. She looks like she's from District 7 maybe."

"What does it matter where she's from? This one is obviously from the Capitol and the other one is her accomplice or something. They're basically wearing the same thing. We need to get out of here, for all we know they're fugitives or some kind of rogue Peacekeepers."

"They're too young to be Peacekeepers and they'd have some sort of auto on them. All they have are knives…maybe they're rebels," he said in a voice that almost sounded excited. 

"That's even worse Gale. We need to get home and forget about this."

"How can you say just leave them? They'll die out here by themselves. They're hurt with nothing."

"What are you suggesting? Taking them back to the Seam?"

"What if I am?"

"Have you gone crazy? What are we going to do with two strange girls? One who is probably from the Capitol? How would we explain their presence? It's not like there are people immigrating to District 12 every day."

"There will be new Peacekeepers patrolling. They won't know anyone so they won't know they don't belong here. And what are the others going to do? Betray them to the Peacekeepers? Everyone in the Seam would rather volunteer for the Games before they do anything for the Peacekeepers."

"And the people in town? Do you expect to hide them forever only in the Seam?"

"The merchant class is so full of themselves that they don't even know half the people in the Seam. They'll just think it's someone they hadn't seen before. Catnip, think about it. What else can we do? Leave them here to die? Or worse, wait for the Capitol to find them and do who knows what with them? Like that girl?"

Katniss stayed silent for a long time, struggling with the right thing to do. Her survival instincts told her to cut and run. She didn't know these girls and in all likelihood, at least one of them was from the Capitol and would probably turn them in for poaching. She also had Prim and her mother to think about. She didn't know what kind of danger the unknown girls could bring but she could easily imagine it.

The other side of her remembered the last girl they found in the woods, scared and obviously running away. There was a boy with her and they both had a Capitol look about them. She had no idea why anyone would run away from comfort and wealth but they were in the woods for one reason or another. They were too late to save her from the Capitol and the boy was killed before capture. Katniss wondered from time to time what happened to her. The Capitol had a habit of making people "disappear" and there were always the quiet murmurs and fears about what could happen to the defiant. She knew she did the right thing by hiding from the hovercraft. She was alive and able to feed her family by not getting involved. That never stopped the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach from emerging or the guilt that bit at her. Survival was the top priority…only sometimes it felt as if there was something more to life than just living it. There were fleeting thoughts of self-hatred, that she was a scared little girl from the big bad Capitol. She felt there perhaps there was something she could have done but she put those feelings in a box and buried them deep. 

Katniss looked down at the girls and she thought they looked vulnerable; like they needed her help or otherwise they would soon die.

"_What if they're someone's Prim_?" the thought suddenly came to her.

These two could be somebody's sister. They could be the whole world to someone and the only thing they love. She suddenly couldn't do anything other than help them. If Prim was in the same position, she would be grateful to anyone who would help her sister even if she was someplace she shouldn't be.

**"**Fine, we hide them in the old offices above the Hob. When they wake up, we find out what they're story is and we go from there. If they're dangerous then…" she trailed off, really unsure what she would do if helping them turned out to be a mistake. 

"We'll figure something out. Let's get them to the Hob," Gale said, trying to ease Katniss' fears.

**A/N: Yay some Hunger Games characters! Told you this was a crossover. lol**

**Hope you guys like the story because I'm having a lot of fun writing it. **

**Thanks to all that follow and fav!**

**Happy Reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

Getting the two girls back to the confines of District 12 was not easy. Neither weighed much but they were bigger than the typical residence of the District, even the wealthy and well fed merchant class.

"_They have to be from the Capitol or District 1 or 2. No other way to explain how well fed they are_," Katniss thought as she struggled to drag the girl.

Gale was having an easier time with the other one, the girl with tattoos, despite being at least five inches taller than the other girl and bigger. His size and years of hunting helped him carry her in his arms with ease.

They got to the fence and luckily for them, even though it was dusk, it seemed like the Peacekeepers would not be bothered to turn on the electricity. They probably wanted to save it for the Justice Building where the new Peacekeeper recruits were having a formal party to welcome them to District 12. It was really more of a "sorry you're stuck here, here's a feast while our children starve in the streets" type of party.

They reached the abandoned coal storage building, empty of its usual black market patrons; everyone trying to lay low for a while until the new Peacekeepers figured out they prefer small illegal comforts than following the letter of the law.

The soot covered building was not heated so the cold permeated throughout and they saw their breath billow from their exertion. The top of the building had cots for them to use, the Capitol installing meager living accommodations for the workers to take short naps in shifts to keep watch over the coal twenty-four hours a day. It now lay abandoned and unused, the sellers preferring to keep at the bottom of the building in case the unsound structure fell below them.

Katniss and Gale worried about the integrity of the upper floor as well but it was still the safest place to conceal the girls they had. Katniss in no uncertain terms decided that they would not be held at her house for fear of what Peacekeepers would do to her family. Gale admitted he did not want to endanger his mother or his brothers as well, so the Hob was their only choice.

Fortunately the rooms had not been picked clean by scavengers and there were two worn cots with frayed blankets thick enough to keep them warm through the night. Gale and Katniss pushed the two beds together and lay the girls side by side under the blankets for added warmth.

"Alright, I need to get some of my mother's herbs and snow for their dressing. Lucky for them we got a light dusting this early in the year but it should be enough for their needs. They need to be cleaned up and we need to see how bad their wounds are," Katniss said with a disconnected authority. It gave her a sense of control to completely devoid herself of any attachments to their charges and prepped her for the possible betrayal and or consequences of caring for them.

Gale nodded his agreement, understanding the gravity of what they were doing. He knew that he was bringing danger to their doorstep but part of him couldn't help but be thrilled. He was going against the Capitol and no one was the wiser. He knew the girls needed their help but he hoped that their presence in the woods meant something. That he wasn't the only one sick of the Capitol and President Snow's tyrannical leadership.

Unbeknownst to the unconscious girls, they were proof that the Capitol was not all reaching or all powerful. These two are the second instance where citizens from another district, or the Capitol itself, has escaped the boundaries and made a run for it. They were proof that there were weak links in the chain.

They gave him hope for something different than the status quo. Katniss would always try to bring him back to reality when he proposed "what ifs" and he knew she was doing it for his own good but he couldn't help the fire of hope that ignited within him that day that things could change.

The girls were still out cold but the two agreed that they would meet back up with supplies at the Hob after their families had fallen asleep. They both were in total accord that no one else would be involved. If they were caught, hopefully the ignorance of their family members would save them and only punish Katniss and Gale.

The Seam was pitch black at night, no lights from their part of District 12 lit the sky. Their only illumination came from the full moon and it lit their path through to the Hob. They didn't dare waste precious candles and attract the Peacekeepers.

The silver moonlight flooded the room and the two girls looked even more vulnerable than before. They were completely helpless and wounded; even if helping them turned out to be a mistake she knew she wouldn't have been able to live with herself to let them die in the woods alone. Not after the last girl.

Katniss hesitated to help their wounds because it meant taking off their clothes. Gale had no issue with it and she knew he wasn't one to be a letch and look at the girls inappropriately. Not that she did either but something about being nude or others being nude disturbed her.

"Come on Catnip, she's unconscious. She's not going to care that she's naked," Gale quipped in a teasing manner, knowing his friend's distaste for people being unclothed.

Katniss frowned at his teasing, annoyed that no one seemed to care that she caredothers were naked. She ignored him and proceeded to treat the injured girl. The thin shirt was made of a smooth material she'd never seen before and had odd markings.

"Under Armor," she said out loud, looking at the tag at the collar of the shirt she cut off.

"What?" Gale asked, wondering what Katniss was going on about.

"This strange shirt she's wearing. The tag says 'Under Armor.'"

"Pssh. How could that flimsy thing be considered armor? You cut right through it so it's not that fancy Capitol armor."

"I don't know it must be a Capitol garment. Nothing they do ever makes sense."

She continued to care for the girl and saw more evidence that she must be Capitol born. Her navel was adorned with a piercing that held a blue jewel. Katniss wasn't sure what it would be called as she didn't have a name for every gem the Capitol favored, being too poor to even know there were more than just diamonds and pearls. Also, only the Capitol would think mutilating their body with piercing, especially a strange place such as the belly button would be fashion forward.

"_Who would even see the piercing?_" she asked herself, recalling the outlandish but often skin covering fashions. She couldn't recall seeing more than their forearms and below the knees showing. The only time she's seen anyone provocatively dressed were the Tributes at the opening ceremony donning costumes or the interviews and usually only from District 1; or if the Tributes from District 12 were unfortunate enough to get a stylist that paraded them naked and covered only in coal dust.

She brushed off the question as wouldn't get an answer and even if she could she didn't think she'd ever care enough to ask it out loud as she was certain the answer would be something vapid.

The tattooed girl was not as injured as Katniss believed because the wound on her shoulder was minimal and even looked like it was rather old. She assumed it must have happened a while ago and wasn't treated.

"_She's lucky she didn't get an infection if all the blood is any indication_."

She was glad that it seemed like she wouldn't be using snow dressing as the wounds were not that bad and all they really needed was a cleaning. Gale and Katniss donated a shirt to both the girls and their work was done.

There was one last thing that Katniss had debated on but felt she couldn't leave to chance. She took the hunting knife she always kept on her and fisted the blonde's long hair. The tattooed girl only had about two inches of fringe dyed the unnatural pink and she quickly cut it off. The girl could be mad at Katniss all she wanted but the hunter was not about to take the risk of someone seeing her with pink hair. They could automatically assume she was from the Capitol. At least then, if she were to be spotted a citizen of the Seam could assume was from the merchant area. Gale was right, the two classes hardly ever came into contact with the other unless it was Reaping day; and even then they stuck to themselves.

Looking down at the girl with shorter but still fairly long hair, Katniss could believe she came from District 12's wealthier area; could even possibly pass for her only female friend, Madge Undersee.

"I'll stay the night, to make sure they don't wake up in a strange place and draw attention to themselves," Gale said as they finished.

"Are you sure?" Katniss asked, worried for her friend if he were caught.

"Yes, Katniss. Go home to your family. I'm used to leaving before anyone wakes up so I won't be missed."

She suddenly hugged him, unsure of why. She just felt the need to embrace her longtime friend. They were in danger that much she knew and she needed to hold him close. Did she fear that it might be their last encounter? Perhaps, but she also felt stirrings deep inside that she never gave thought or a voice to. Now that their death might come to them sooner than she thought, it made her feel as though she ought to do something that showed Gale she cared.

Gale accepted the physical contact gladly, also feeling that it was possibly the last time they might be able to do such a thing. He knew he had feelings for his fellow hunter but never approached the subject. He knew that there was always the high possibility of being Reaped because of how much tesserae he collected. He didn't want to start something with her that he knew he wouldn't be able to see to the end. There was also the possibility of her being Reaped as well. Their lives were not their own, even less so when they were of Tribute age. He promised himself that once they both were out of danger, if the odds were in their favor, of being Reaped then he'd make his feelings known. Otherwise, he would keep them secret.

He had a deep and abiding love for the Everdeen girl and it'd utterly destroy him if she returned those feelings only never to come home again. He was out of the woods when it came to Reaping but she still had two more years to go.

He sighed deeply as he heard the patter of her feet fade in to the night. She was a strong and capable girl so he wasn't worried for her safety. He did worry about the two charges he took upon himself. Hopefully in the light of day, more would be known about them and he hadn't made a fatal mistake.

The night passed by quickly enough, Gale got sleep when he could. Ever the gentleman, he slept on the floor and did not try to squeeze into the cots the females were in. The Hob was disturbingly quiet; no vender would be selling their illicit goods that day.

He was one day closer to working in the mines and he wished he could stop time. The meager earnings of a coal miner wouldn't be enough to make ends meet and his hunting time would be cut drastically. He figured he'd only have Sundays to hunt, so whatever he did catch he would have to make last the week. He already saw the argument with Katniss about how she'd hunt for both of their families but he couldn't let her do that. Caring for his family was his job, not hers. Plus he didn't like owing someone, something they both had in common.

His sharp ears picked up the sound of feet hitting the stairs and from the light steps he knew it was his friend. He held the bowie knife tightly in his hand, ready to brandish the weapon if needed.

Gale relaxed when he saw it was indeed Katniss.

"How are they?" she asked as she looked around for Peacekeepers that weren't there.

"They slept through the whole night, never moving," he replied.

Katniss knelt down next to the low cot and checked their bandages. Confusion fluttered over her face as she saw that neither harbored any wounds. The skin was still filthy but smooth and undisturbed.

"They aren't injured," Katniss said confusedly, unsure if what she was saying was even true.

"What do you mean they aren't injured?" Gale asked certain Katniss was mistaken.

She showed him where they had put dressings on the girls and she was correct, there were no wounds or even a small scratch.

"We must have…seen blood residue or something and mistook them for abrasions in the dark," was the only logical explanation he could come up with.

Katniss nodded, thinking the explanation was sound and what else could it have been?

As she explored them further to see if they were perfectly fine, the tattooed girl started to stir.

The girl blinked her eyes, as if she were merely coming from a sound sleep and when she finally focused on them she frowned; unsure if she were seeing what she was seeing.

"Ummm…hello? Where am I?" she asked in a drawled out accent. It wasn't the high pitched and quick speech of residences of the Capitol.

In fact, Katniss wasn't sure what kind of accent it was as she had never heard it before. Not that there was any doubt but the girl definitely was not from District 12 or even 11 or 10. There was no traveling from district to district unless on official Capitol business so very rarely would a cropper from District 11 or a cattle driver from 10 come to 11 for trade. She tried to recall past Hunger Games and the Tributes from the other districts to recall anyone speaking similarly but nothing came to mind.

Nemesis slowly got her bearings and tried to figure out where she was.

"_OK I'm on a dirty bed in what looks like a dirty warehouse with two people I've never met and am looking at me like I've grown a second head. I've woken up in worse circumstances_."

"Do you guys speak English?" she asked out loud.

Katniss had never heard of such a language and wondered why the girl was asking them. She shook her head no, still baffled at the stranger's unique accent.

Nemesis wracked her brain to think of where she could possibly be. The last thing she remembered was fighting the Chaos demons and being on the African continent in Egypt. From the look of the two teens they had black hair and olive skin.

"Parli inglese?" she asked in perfect Italian, taking a guess from the features of Katniss and Gale to where she might be.

This just confused the two even more and from deduction, Nemesis tried another language.

"¿Hablas Inglés?" she asked thinking she might be in Spain.

Still there was no spark of understanding so she tried every language she happened to know.

"Parlez-vous anglais? Miláte angliká? Vy govorite po-angliĭski? Talar du engleska? Sprechen sie Englisch? Tu loqui Anglorum?" she asked, starting to get frustrated.

Dread started to fill Katniss because she was certain that they had saved an insane person as she rattled off gibberish.

"Do you speak common?" Gale finally asked the confusing girl.

Nemesis raised an eyebrow; very certain she was not in Kansas anymore.

"Yeah…right. Common. Anyway, where am I?"

"You're in District 12," Katniss answered.

"_OK that means nothing to me_."

Nemesis wracked her brain for a country that used districts and might refer English as "common." Still slow from recovery she couldn't think of anything. She wanted to ask specifics but she was cautious enough not to be too suspicious and decided to ask other questions that didn't make it obvious she wasn't from around there.

"How did I get here?"

"We found you two knocked out in the woods. We dragged you back here to recover."

"Thanks, I appreciate that…Two? What happened to my hair?" Nemesis screeched when she ran her hand through her hair and noticed her locks were several inches shorter.

"Are you from the Capitol?" Katniss asked harshly, suspecting the answer from the over reaction the girl was displaying. It was only hair.

"The capitol of what? Why the fuck would you jack my hair?"

The girl was strange and spoke in such a manner the two District 12 residences could only understand every other word.

"_The_Capitol. Are you from the Capitol?" Katniss asked again, what other Capitol could there be?

"Chica, I don't know what you're talking about. All I know is that I wake up in some abandoned building and half of my hair is gone. So why don't you put that shank away and chill out?" Nemesis said tersely as Katniss palmed her hunting knife.

"Chill out?"

"And did you say two? Who else was…oh it's Chloe. Awesome. Wake up!" she said roughly and pushed the girl to rouse her awake.

The other girl woke with a jolt and automatically reached for one of her weapons. When she found she had none, she was not too pleased.

"Where're my knives?"

"They're in a safe place," Gale said darkly, not liking the girls were more interested in their weaponry. He was starting to suspect they were Peacekeepers or some other kind of Capitol military.

Chloe was not satisfied with that answer and quickly got off the bed. Nemesis didn't want a fight on their hands, especially with civilians. Slayers did not need any more bad press after the whole Twilight incident.

"Whoa whoa whoa, let's all just bring it to a low boil, kay?"

Gale and Katniss exchanged confused looks, neither having the slightest idea what the girl was asking.

"Alrighty, let's start over. What're your names?"

Katniss wanted run away but she was already in the whole mess. There was no backing out now.

"Katniss Everdeen," she hesitantly replied.

"Flower of the genus Sagittaria, meaning 'arrowhead', pretty," Nemesis automatically stated out of habit.

"Gale Hawthorne," the male stated, a bit confused at the tattooed girl's response to his friend's name.

"Strong winds, assuming you spell it g-a-l-e. The alternative spelling is usually for females but it means 'joy of the father.'"

"It's spelled the first way."

"I thought as much. I'm Nemesis Baratheon," she said with a wide smile, incredibly happy she could use the fake surname. "And this is Chloe Lannister."

The other girl scowled at Nemesis, knowing the insult the girl was giving her.

The hairs on the back of Katniss's neck bristled at the girl's name: Nemesis; definitely a Capitol name. It also sounded like a District 2 name but with the tattoos, there was no doubt in her mind the girl was all Capitol. The other one they were not certain of but things were not looking good.

"So let's try this again. Where are we?"

"District 12," Katniss repeated.

"And where is that?"

Katniss and Gale gave each other confused looks. Katniss' anger bloomed inside her chest.

"_I guess some Capitol citizens are so spoiled they don't need to know where the poor districts are_," She thought snidely to herself.

"It's on the outer edges."

Nemesis was about to bang her head against something hard because getting information out of these two was like pulling teeth. Why wouldn't they just answer her simple question?

"The outer edges of what? What country are we in?" she asked, trying to be as specific as she could.

Gale and Katniss were doubly confused.

"_What other country could we be in_?"

"Pan_em_," Katniss said slowly, afraid the girl was touched in the head.

Nemesis frowned and she looked to Chloe for help. She had never heard of such a country and was baffled. Her instincts told her to stop questioning because it was becoming apparent the two strangers were just as confused by her questions and they were dangerously close to being asked questions they wouldn't be able to answer.

"Hey, buddy. We don't mean any harm so you can stop palming that knife in your pocket," Nemesis sneered at the male's attempt at covertly getting ready for attack.

Gale was startled at her keen observation and it did not stop him from handling his knife.

"What Nemesis means to say is that we're obviously lost and just need to get our bearings. We've obviously been injured and really unsure of what is going on. What is today's date?" Chloe interjected sensibly.

"Sunday, November 27th 74 ADD."

The two girls were completely dumbfounded at the revelation.

They were definitely not in Kansas anymore.

**A/N: Hope everyone is enjoying the fic as much as I am writing it! I'd love to hear what you guys think and I appreciate any and all reviews. **

**Happy Reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta. **

All four teens were completely silent in the offices above the Hob but for completely different reasons. Gale and Katniss waited for the two strangers to respond and the girls were trying to process the new information.****

Here was what Nemesis knew: 1) They were in a different time, that much was obvious from the date the natives gave them. 2) They were not in America. In fact, they were in a country they had never heard of but luckily for them, they spoke English, or common as the two residences referred to the language.****

**"**_Thank God for small favors_," Nemesis thought to herself, seeing the silver lining in the situation. They probably would be up shit creak without a paddle if they added a language barrier into the mix.****

3) Gale was a major hottie. Nemesis took a moment to appreciate the six foot something tall male with a strong jaw line and piercing grey eyes. The large raven haired teen was a predator and Nemesis was willing to be hunted. The girl that accompanied him had a similar look and she wondered if Katniss was a relation, mostly to size up her chances of hooking up. ****

Chloe saw the licentious leer her sister Slayer was giving the male and nudged Nemesis out of her reverie. The blonde Slayer did not appreciate that but it did get her head back on track.****

4) Due to their last battle and the highly chaotic nature of magic and portals, it was very possible they were in some kind of alternate universe. Nemesis observed that they indeed spoke English but it seemed to her like modern English. The two teens in front of them didn't use anachronistic idioms such as "art" or "thou." Also, from their dress, the clothes seemed fairly standard pants and shirts. They weren't the most fashion forward things Nemesis had ever seen but they were items she would see in her home town of Rising Sun, Maryland. From the look outside the windows, she saw maples, oaks, and chestnuts so that put them on the East Coast which didn't help much since the East coast was vast and if she was correct in identifying the trees from a quick glance…if they were in their dimension at all. Given that the girl had said 75_ ADD_ it meant they were on some different kind of calendar than Gregorian but not too off since they had at least one similar month.****

So given the fact she wasn't very far from where she started, she knew they needed to play dumb and play it quick.****

**"**The last day I remember was Tuesday…and I don't remember anything before that," Nemesis said in a small voice that sounded scared and lost, hoping that she didn't mention a day that didn't exist to them. She put everything into the acting skills the Slayer Organization taught her for covert missions. She even mimicked the neutral accent of Katniss and Gale, realizing that her southern Maryland with a splash of Cajun accent was a dead give away that she wasn't from around there.****

Nemesis looked on the verge of tears and Chloe looked absolutely lost so Katniss didn't know what to think. It all lent themselves to the "we're lost and have no clue" aura Nemesis wanted to project. ****

**"**I remember being somewhere dark…and we were being chased," Nemesis continued on, telling a truth but omitting pertinent details to make the story vague enough to be believable.****

**"**They were trying to hurt us…we ran but there were so many of them. There was this bright light…then nothing. Everything's a blank after that."****

Gale thought about her tale and filled in the missing pieces. They had to be on the run from the Capitol and the government was doing something horrible to them; he'd believe that any day.****

Katniss was a bit more skeptical.****

**"**How did you get in the woods?" the dark haired girl asked.****

**"**I don't know," Nemesis replied sincerely. She knew that she couldn't say she was possibly from a different dimension, at least not until it was apparent that such a thing was common in the world they were in. ****

**"**Everything is just so jumbled and confused…I feel like there are pieces missing in my mind and I can't make sense of anything," she said before she started to bawl.****

Gale could never stand to see a girl cry and placed a comforting hand on her shoulders.****

**"**_And the Oscar goes to..._" Nemesis thought while she shed crocodile tears and burrowed into Gale because she wanted to feel the tight muscles she knew to be underneath his clothes.****

She was not disappointed. His stomach was rock solid and his arms like marble around her; he smelled faintly of oranges. She knew she was being a letch by playing the damsel in distress and taking advantage of his kindness but she didn't care, he was warm and strong; it made it worth it to be a terrible person.****

Chloe remained silent letting Nemesis take the lead, hoping her face didn't betray the absolute bafflement of the situation and anxiety that the two would not believe them.****

Gale nodded his head as if every word Nemesis spoke fed his belief about that Capitol. That they were full of dark, devious, and malicious faceless men out to get innocent citizens of Panem that did not bow down to them.****

Katniss, however, was less than convinced of the girl's story and was willing to press on to get more information. An unfamiliar gnawing feeling pierced her stomach, unsure of where such a feeling was coming from as she watched the pretty but strange blonde all but grope her best friend.****

**"**What District are you from?"****

The two girls looked at each other and Katniss's suspicion rose considerably as she felt she had stumped them.

From the grey eyed girl's body language, Nemesis knew their story was not flying so she resorted to other means to get their compliance. She caught Katniss's eye and held her stare, concentrating on penetrating the other girl's mind.

Unfortunately for Nemesis, Katniss did not relax as she should have under her influence. The slayer could feel the raven haired girl's resistance and it ended her luck.

"_Of course of all the people to find and question us, she has to have an effing natural shield._"

It also didn't help that psychic abilities were not Nemesis' forte. Runes and sigils were more up her ally but she couldn't very well ask the two to sit tight while she drew strange markers around the room. Without much other choice, Nemesis concentrated harder and was thankful that Gale was still busytrying to comfort her and not seeing the strained look on her face as she tried to magically force Katniss to comply.

Katniss felt threatened under the girl's intense gaze and wondered what she was doing. She knew she couldn't trust the two and their reluctance to answer a simple question was proof they were hiding something. Soon her mind started to wander and foreign thoughts invaded.

"_I can trust them. They're not here to hurt us. I can believe them_."

These were truths that she wanted to accept as the sky was blue or that the Hunger Games would come every year. She struggled to keep hold of her suspicions but they slipped away like water through her fingers.

All questions of the girls' past disappeared as Katniss saw the blood run down Nemesis' nose and onto the clean white shirt she donated. It was a few more winters away from being threadbare and washing blood out of it would accelerate the process. She quickly went to the blonde and held up a rag she used to clean her hunting blade to stop the bleeding.

Nemesis winced as a pounding migraine that beat in time with her heart pulsed behind her eyes. The pain so overwhelming, she had to lie back down as she held the hanker chief to her nose.

"_I really need to practice my psychic talent more_."

She slightly admired the girl through the agony as she had never encountered someone with such a strong mind. Whoever Katniss Everdeen was, she was not someone Nemesis could write off and could potentially be a great ally in the foreign land.

"Thanks...ummm I honestly can't tell you what district we're from" Nemesis said finally. Not only was full on lying not an option as she knew she could easily be caught, she wouldn't know where to begin to weave a tale that could convince them and wouldn't fall apart at the seams.

The two dark haired teens frowned and Nemesis silently prayed to God and the gods that her sway over Katniss and Gale's trust would hold out.

Blessedly Katniss, against her better judgment, took it at face value and Gale assumed the Capitol was behind it all.

Katniss had rationalized to herself that they were too deep into it now and there was no other course of action. Even if the two strangers were Capitol spies, she couldn't force them to leave District 12 and if she reported them she would be implicating herself and Gale as well.

All four had come to an agreement. The girls would hide out in the Hob for the foreseeable future until their memories came back and they could figure out what to do long term later.

The cold bitter winter dragged on for months. The snow drifts were man high and Katniss waited for Nemesis and Chloe to misstep, reveal themselves somehow to the public. Either out of starvation or boredom, she was sure the two would make themselves known. She waited in tense fear for when the Peacekeepers would knock on her door and drag her away to publicly whip her to death for being a traitor. Every so often she would have nightmares of Gale being impaled with a harpoon from ahovercraft while they lifted her with a net, never to be seen again.

She waited for an accusation of treachery that never came. The girls remained out of sight and she and Gale kept their secret. Katniss was surprised at how easy harboring possible Capitol fugitives happened to be. The week after she agreed to conceal them, she worried nonstop about two more mouths to feed but they never asked for provisions neither did they take anything she or Gale offered except for blankets and clothes. She had no idea how they were surviving and suspicions of theft disappeared when no one reported missing foodstuff. In District 12, sustenance was so scarce and precious that it would have been impossible for a family, even the well to do Merchant families, to not notice it was gone.

Katniss did notice strange things occurring since the girls' arrival. Hunting was never easier, despite the harsh winter. Never before had all the snares Gale had set been set off, filled with fat rabbits that kept them fed and rich in trade. Her hunting partner was pleased that for the first time, his traps had brought in more game than her bow. She was not one to be jealous or petty but she did wonder why they were having such good luck.

"Maybe the rabbits are friskier this year," Gale joked crudely with a flirtatious wink that reddened her cheeks.

Katniss still had her doubts, even if there was a rabbit population boom it didn't explain why they were so active in the winter when every cold season before they would all but hibernate in their burrows.

The other strange thing was that the traps were always filled with rabbits, no other game. Typically in winter they'd have a fox or wild dogs caught in the snares but none seemed to fall for Gale's traps.

She tried to voice these concerns to Gale but he brushed them off.

"Having a lot of fresh game is a good thing Catnip, who cares why the dumb critters are so plentiful this winter? We can feed our families and then some."

It was also such a relief since Gale's hunting hours was cut and the coin he made for mining was not enough to properly care for his family.

She couldn't argue that point but she could never shake the feeling that there was something off about their good fortune.

Then there were the little machinations of the people in the Hob, catching bits and pieces of their conversations as she dealt in District 12's black market. It seems they weren't the only ones who had been auspicious lately.

"Good thing the roads were shoveled out so quickly and we didn't have to miss so much work," one miner commented about the blizzard they had.

"I woke up one morning and wouldn't you know it? My porch was as good as new," said another.

"I was sure I'd be out of business with the wagon broke but the next day it was as if nothing had ever happened to it."

"The orders for wood have never been this good; I never thought I'd be able to cut enough to meet demand. Yesterday morning, I wake up and it's cut and piled house high."

There were many similar tales buzzing around the market, all wondering who was doing littlemiracles in the night and helping people out. Katniss fleetingly suspected the two girls but with such work there was no way they'd be able to do it all in a night. She didn't have a better alternative other than a few dozen good citizens decided they wanted to help out their fellow man…in the dead of night…without pay. Even as Katniss contemplated the most logical scenario, it seemed ridiculous.

Very strange happenings were going on in District 12 but she couldn't voice her opinion without feeling like a paranoid freak in front of Gale.

He would admit though that the females were a little off. They had strange ways about them that they had never seen before, not even from the little interaction they had with Capitol citizens or what they've seen on the projection screen during the mandatory Games viewing.

The blonde one was very talkative and tried her best to engage them in conversation whenever the two stopped by to check on them in the dead of night. Her banter was always hard to follow but Katniss had the feeling the girl's garble was full of double entendres and lewd remarks towards Gale. Nemesis even decorated the little hideout with holly boughs and poisonous shrubs she insisted deserved a kiss when walking under them; trying to explain to them it was "Christmas", whatever that meant. She even made them gifts of wreaths for no apparent reason and they had no idea how to respond but graciously accepted after the girl seemed to get upset that December 25thth was being treated as any other day.

Chloe tried to explain to them that Nemesis was bit of a "Christmas Nazi" and again they felt as if the girls were speaking nonsense. Katniss was convinced a specific day of gift giving had to be a fabrication of the Capitol but when Nemesis further explained it was a day of forgiveness and giving without expecting anything in return she had her doubts. The Capitol has never piqued her as the type to give out of the goodness of their heart and instead always seemed like an insatiable beast; neither did they ever tout forgiveness as one of its principles, the harsh laws as proof.

Nemesis was not alone in peculiar behavior. The girl with the chestnut brown hair had requested books and tore through them ravenously. What she was trying to find out or why she was so interested in a time waster such as reading, they could not guess. Katniss obliged with the books that were available regardless which were only her school books. Chloe had asked if they had a library but neither Gale nor Katniss knew what that was; when she explained a building that housed nothing but tomes, it sounded frivolous and very Capitol. Both girls still proclaimed they couldn't remember where they were from and each time Katniss had doubts but the doubts still ebbed away as quickly as they came against her will.

January and February passed in a blur. New Years seemed to be the only day they celebrated in common as Nemesis again tried to foist something called "Valentine's Day" upon them in the latter month.

"It's a day to celebrate love and tell that special someone how much you care," she explained.

"Shouldn't you show someone you love you care everyday?" Katniss countered logically, unable to see the merit of assigning a specific day to something as inconvenient as romantic love. Nemesis just huffed and turned away, as she dyed odd shapes she insisted were hearts red with poke berries.

Katniss had tried to explain that the two bumps with the pointed bottom was not how a heart looked at all, as she had taken many out of the game she had hunted. The blonde girl ignored her but it did prove to Katniss that they did not restrict themselves solely to the rooms above the hob. The winter plant she used to dye her paper shapes was not found within the confines of District 12 but in the surrounding forest.

It concerned Katniss but she held her tongue. Who was she to admonish someone to stepping outside the bounds of the fence when she went hunting everyday? They hadn't interacted with the general populace, she would have heard about it otherwise, and kept a low profile. As long as they stayed invisible, Katniss didn't care what they did in their spare time.

Gale had started in the mines and his hunting had been restricted to solely Sundays. Their bounty hadbeen plentiful so she wasn't going to stir the pot when they had obviously not been caught out and about.

It wasn't until the beginning of March when the snow melted into an icy slosh, dirtied by the soot that perpetually covered the Seam did things start to turn wrong.

Nemesis had finally succumbed to ennui and ventured outside the Hob during business hours. She had entertained herself with eavesdropping on various citizens' conversations and occupied her sleepless nights with helping out when she could but it was no longer enough. She was a people person and she needed to talk to someone other than the nagging Chloe, the taciturn Katniss, or the very attractive but not interested in her Gale.

During daybreak she had left her weary accommodations above the black market and hid in the shrubbery. When enough customers and vendors had milled about she made her entrance. It was clear from the start that she did not belong. It wasn't because she was from another time and possibly another realm; it was because the people who lived in what Katniss had called the Seam had a very uniform look to them: pitch black hair, olive skin, and grey eyes. Nemesis stood out like a firefly in the dark night with her golden hair and wide set brown eyes. She held her head high as the proprietors eyed her suspiciously. The Slayer smiled warmly at the patrons, knowing acting hostile to their reservations would only alienate her further.

From the whispers and rants she had overheard from her stake outs, she knew there was a deep and wide schism between the merchant class that resided in the Quarter and the poor miners that lived in the Seam. She was counting on that division for her plan to be out and about work and not get caught as an outsider.

"You, girl; what are you doing here?" a gruff voice of the twine and rope seller. He had the look of a man who had a hard life with his left hand missing and a permanent scowl upon his face. She could easily understand why such an otherwise able bodied man was left selling in the Hob and not in the mines.

"Lookin' around, same as everybody else," Nemesis answered coolly in the neutral but somewhat breathy accent of the merchant class.

"Nevah seen you around these parts. Who're you?" knowing she wasn't from the Seam.

"Madge Undersee" she said, taking a gambit.

Nemesis had overheard Gale and Katniss talking about how well she would have blended in on the merchant quarter of District 12 and the resemblance she had to the mayor's daughter; a girl of such standing would never be allowed at the Hob much less any part of the Seam and she was hoping that her supposed status would stop people from questioning her too deeply.

It did the trick as the rope seller's eyes widened and he stepped back suddenly speechless as to how to treat such a distinguished guest. He eyed the girl, certain she was the same girl he'd seen at the Reapings but taller. Nature and the food she had readily available to her must have prompted the growth spurt he reckoned.

"I'm sorry miss, didn't mean no disrespect. I don't think a girl like you should be in a place like this."

"None taken sir," taking note of the slight surprise at how polite she was to the title and respect she gave him. "But I feel I'm old enough to decide that for myself now. If you don't mind, I'll take my leave."

The twine seller nodded his consent and Nemesis looked around, pleased that her alias had worked.

She looked around, word of her being the mayor's daughter spread quickly and people were more eager to be cordial and offer her wares. Nemesis desperately wanted to buy a few things but she did not possess any currency. She eyed a frail woman in her mid-thirties trying to drag great bags of sugar to her station. She saw an opportunity and approached the struggling woman.

"Hello, mam? Could you use some help?"

The woman looked up in surprise, not only was someone offering to help her but it was a merchant girl to boot.

"I doubt you'd be much more help than what I could do on my own."

"I wouldn't say that. I'm stronger than I look."

She eyed the tall blonde girl, not doubting she was stronger than her own never fully fed frame but still the bags were about as heavy as the average Seam resident.

"What you want for the help?" she asked, knowing nothing was ever free.

That was a tricky question for Nemesis as she had no idea what the value of helping was not to mention the rampant poverty; she didn't want to cheat or indebt the woman. So she went with the fairest price she could think of.

"Whatever you think is fair and can spare," she said simply. If the woman gave her less than what another would do it for she didn't care. Anything was better than nothing and in the end she remembered her Christian upbringing and probably would have ended up helping the woman for free.

The woman seemed suspicious of the generous offer but accepted it nonetheless. The sugar seller, including everyone else in the Hob, was surprised when the blonde girl lifted the hundred pound bags with ease, one on each shoulder. They had never seen anything like it; even the baker's sons could only carry one sack of flour at a time. The chore that would have taken over an hour was done within minutes.

The woman, known as Cabelle, looked on as amazement and Nemesis could see the wheels turning inside the older female's head, trying to rationalize what just happened. Her mentor, Willow, had called it "Sunnydale Syndrome"; where the citizens of her hometown would make up non-magical reasons for the very magical goings on of the mystical epicenter. It was why the young slayer was never all that concerned with her out of the ordinary strength or skills shown in public. She learned very quickly that people would go out of their way to outright denial of anything supernatural.

Nemesis was correct in her thinking because Cabelle convinced herself that all merchant children, who were fed well their whole life, must be strong as proven by "Madge" and the Mellark boys.

Nemesis gratefully accepted a few copper coins that resembled pennies but had an impression of a more geometric and simple eagle than the Great Seal of the United States on one side; on the other amine shaft, rails, two pick axes, and a hard hat surrounded by laurel was etched. She had no idea what it was worth but smiled to the woman nonetheless and wondered the rest of the market.

Others seeing her feats of strength asked for her help and she was glad to give it, wanting to make more money and get to know the other residences.

Things were going well until Katniss and Gale showed up later that afternoon with their haul; the female livid and terrified at the presence of Nemesis.

The fugitive did not bat an eye at their shocked expressions and coolly said hello as she tasted a bowl of Greasy Sae's winter specialty.

"What do you think you're doing?" Katniss said in a low dangerous voice, surprising Sae as the bony old woman had never seen the girl throw such a fit.

"I'm enjoying a wonderful bowl of Sea's stew. Is this tripe?" Nemesis said cordially, ignoring the fuming dark haired huntress.

Sea beamed at the compliment to her cooking but wasn't sure what the girl was referring to.

"No girl, that's pig entrails," not knowing other name for the offal.

It was the same thing to Nemesis and she happily took another bite of the hearty and earthy soup, refusing to guess what the meat was as she certainly didn't see many cows in the District and knowing Sae didn't make enough to afford the meat from a butcher.

Katniss was too mad to think straight so she grabbed the bowl from Nemesis's hand and threw it on the table.

"Katniss! That is no way to treat the mayor's daughter," Sae admonished. "I'm so sorry Madge, she usually has better sense than this."

"Oh it's no problem miss Sae. Katniss, Gale; lets take a walk outside shall we?"

She didn't leave much room for argument and the two desperately needed to talk to her about the danger she put them all in. They also rushed out as soon as they spotted Darius, the only Peacekeeper to stay and mingle at the Hob. As soon as they got far enough into the wooded area but still within District 12's boundary, Katniss let her have it.

"How could you do something so stupid? Do you have any idea the danger you're putting yourself and us in?"

Nemesis was used to being yelled at and only halfway paid any attention.

"Look, I'm sorry but come on; did you really expect me to hole up above the Hob forever? I'm going bananas up there."

That just furthered riled up the huntress as she had no idea what the blonde was talking about.

"_Bananas? What in the 12 Districts does 'going bananas' mean?_"

"We've been sheltering you from Peacekeepers and only the odds know what else and you want to throw that back in our face because you can't handle staying put?"

"Chico, can you help me out here?" she asked Gale with the odd nickname she gave him.

It was one of many bizarre things she called him, "Big G" and "Hottie McHotterson" being other examples.

Gale was hesitant to contradict Katniss and he agreed that what Nemesis was doing was risky. On the other hand he understood that they couldn't keep the two above the Hob forever so he decided to get more information before taking a side.

"What are you doing anyway? How could you pretend to be Madge?"

"Easy, I apparently look like her and they don't go into town enough to know the difference. Chica, I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble but I can't stay in those rooms forever. Two months is my limit and I seriously might murder Chloe if I'm holed up with her any longer. I'm seriously going out of my fucking mind."

Katniss let out a slow breath, easing herself down from her ire. She had always been the calm and collected one, leaving Gale to the rants and rages. Never before had she lost her tempter but she had never before harbored a fugitive that could mean death for her and those she cared about most.

"You don't understand the danger you're in, you need to keep put until we figure out what to do with you," the grey eyed girl said as evenly as she could.

Nemesis was not one to be told what to do and she didn't fully comprehend how bad the Capitol could be. It seemed a far off strange entity that had nothing to do with her, so she brazenly said,

"Kit Kat," another weird and annoying nickname she had given her. "I know what I'm doing and I won't get caught. And in all realness, there's nothing you can really do about it. I need to be free and you have better things to do than babysit me. So let's just agree to disagree. Here, have some money."

Nemesis brandished the handful of coins she earned helping the vendors of the Hob and the two District 12 residences gaped at how much she had.

"Where did you get that?" Gale asked incredulous she made that in one day and slightly worried that she had stolen the money.

"Helping around the Hob. It's amazing what people will pay you to do some heavy lifting…actually I have no idea what these things are worth. Help me out."

Another very peculiar aspect to Nemesis, she had no idea the value of money. Katniss suspected it was because she was from the Capitol.

"_They must be so rich that money means nothing to them_," she thought darkly. The handful of coins probably mean nothing to a girl who probable handles nothing but bills from birth but to the Seam, it meant much needed supplies like tallow or cotton.

Gale volunteered the information, explaining to Nemesis their legal tender.

"The copper coins are Capitol D12 cents. There are five cents to a nickel piece and twenty pieces to a note. No one has notes besides the mayor and Haymich Abernathy, so you'll probably only ever see coin."

"Who?" Nemesis asked, still not familiar with everyone in the eight thousand population of District 12.

"He's the only living victor of the Hunger Games. He usually stumbles into the Hob once a week for white liquor."

"Right, Drunky. He's hilarious," she commented with a small laugh, reminiscing about the time he came in so hammered he started yelling at a post for ten minutes before he staggered away.

Gale mentioning the Hunger Games made her recall the conversation she had with Chloe when they were doing research of their current home.

"_Find out anything useful?" Nemesis asked the bookish girl as she had come home from her nightly patrol of the District. She was glad the area wasn't plagued by vampires or other monsters but she felt somewhat useless that there was no need for them._

"_No, the books are nothing but propaganda praising the Capitol and mentioning how awful things were during the 'Dark Days' a time of war seventy four years ago. It's all rubbish and not helpful at all. They mention America in passing and then it just goes on and on about the peace that followed under their rule."_

"_Does it mention how America fell?"_

"_No, just that it was hit with an economic disaster followed by natural catastrophes."_

"_Was it…" Nemesis let the question die in her throat, afraid of the answer. Part of her worried that the Slayer Organization had failed and the world fell to ruin. _

"_No idea. There're no specifics or even a date of when it occurred. This place looks enough like it could have been home. Sun rises in the East and sets in the West. There are four seasons. The Capitol resides in what used to be known as the Rockies. Other than that, there's no telling if this is our universe or not. Even if it is, there's not enough history to know how long it's been since our own time."_

"_Fuck," she stated, the reality of how lost they were sinking in. "There's nothing on the outside either. All anyone really talks about is their job and how they're going to make it to the next day. The Seam hates the Merchants and the Merchants hate them right back. Except for Gale, all the girls seem to want a piece of that and I don't blame them at all. I would give my left ovary for a night with him. I can't believe he turned me down for some afternoon delight, acting all chaste when he's been messing around with Merchant and Seam girls at the slag heap which is their version of 'make-out point.'" Nemesis babbled on._

"_Nem, please focus," Chloe pleaded, used to the random tangents that plagued their conversations. _

"_I'm pretty sure it's because he's in love with Katniss. He gives the 'fuck off my woman' eyes to that ginger Peacekeeper that always flirts with her at the Hob," she went on not paying mind to her sister slayer._

"_Nem__**, focus**__," the other slayer said desperately._

"_She has no clue so he's totally in the friend zone. She's kind of cold and oblivious so he's going to need to grow some balls if he actually wants to get into her panties. I think she's hiding a passionate fiery goddess under that calm cool collected exterior. She's very mama bear around her sister and I bet she'd be crazy good in the sack once someone is able to crowbar her legs apart."_

"_Will you take this seriously?" Chloe cried out, fed up with Nemesis' inane chatter and seemingly cavalier attitude about trying to get them home._

"_You're the one with the magical training. You should be helping me try to figure this out! Instead you're peeping into the mundane lives of people living in the 1930's. Or doing random chores for them for free while we're still stuck here! Stop wasting your time and get us home!"_

"_OK, fuck you. You think reading school books is helping us out? You said so yourself, they're nothing but bullshit written to boost the government up.. Guess what I've found out? The citizens hate and live in fear of the Capitol. They're kept like livestock being worked to the bone while half the population starves. Everyone is at the very least aware of everyone who lives here so it's not like we can just waltz about town and see what's going on. My 'peeping' has shown us that there are only the bare necessities sold and traded here. No magic shops, no occult book stores, nothing that can help get us home. Sorry if my training didn't include 'How to find your way back home after falling through a portal created by an Egyptian Chaos demon.'"_

"_So what? Is your plan to live above the black market forever? Keeping yourself entertained with the sex life of our rescuers."_

"_I wish they had a sex life, be a lot more interesting."_

_Chloe huffed her frustration and Nemesis gave her a break._

"_I'm waiting for an opportunity to present itself."_

"_What?"_

"_Listen, there's nothing here that can help us. Believe me, I've tried to connect to the other side and get answers. I just don't have the power, supplies, or willing participants to get me through. So we need to sit tight until an opportunity presents itself to get us to another district."_

"_But there aren't any maps of Panem or sufficient data about the other districts and there are strict anti-immigration laws. No one gets in or out."_

"_I know. I'm pretty sure it's to keep the populous ignorant and subdued. Can't try to escape if you have no idea where you'd go and the people are completely different than you."_

"_So the plan is to stay here until something magically falls out of the sky?"_

"_Do __**you**__ want to go fucking around the woods until we find something? I know I can survive but did you get any training? Also, have any brilliant plans when we get there? What if we meet someone who isn't as keen to shelter outsiders?" Nemesis asked sarcastically knowing the answer._

_Chloe pouted and accepted that staying put was a better alternative than trying to survive the wilderness with nothing but Nemesis' skills and good graces. So she relented and the argument was shelved._

"_What are the Hunger Games?" Nemesis said to start another conversation, unable to take the silence. "People keep talking about 'this year's Hunger Games' in hushed tones. I can't make out a lot of what they're saying, even with my Slayer hearing."_

_Chloe hesitated to answer as she knew the other Slayer took her duties seriously. Seriously enough to do something about the systematic and sadistic games of pitting children against each other, fighting to the death; atoning for the supposed sins of their father who started a war that barely anyone who had anything to do with it was still alive. Nemesis was already too distracted for her tastes so Chloe opted to keep the blonde in the dark, knowing she wouldn't bother reading the books._

"_It's like their version of the Olympics. Sometimes it gets really intense and someone has an accident. I think someone always tries from District 12 to win but they never do."_

_Nemesis nodded her head, accepting the explanation and busied herself with some craft or another to keep herself busy._

She looked at Gale and contemplated her next move. Katniss was still sore from her little foray into the real world so she tried to appeal to her helpful side.

"Could you go into town for me? Buy me some clothes? And by clothes I mean underwear. I've been wearing the same pair for like two months. I'm feeling pretty groady no matter how many times I wash it and I'm pretty sure you were freaked out that one time you caught me naked on laundry day."

Katniss grimaced at the lack of hygiene, even for the Seam, not to mention Nemesis' rampant nudity and nodded. Her anger had cooled somewhat, becoming sympathetic to the situation the girl was in. She was lost and didn't have anything. For the most part, the two strangers had behaved themselves and Katniss could even see why the girl would get antsy. The blonde girl even seemed to be falling in line, not going to town herself and getting the under clothing.

The huntress took the money and tried to give back the excess but Nemesis refused.

"Think of it as protecting us from the po-po fee."

"The what?"

"Chica, just take the fucking money. I mean Jesus _Christ_. I got to go; Chloe is probably kirking out by now."

Not for the first time, the two District 12 residences were left confused as Nemesis retreated and made her way back to the top of the Hob without being detected.

"What's 'fucking'?" Katniss asked Gale who didn't have a clue either.

"I don't know, what's Jesus or kirking out? It's twaddle she spouts every other word. Come on, we need to trade in the Hob and keep an ear out for whatever crazy thing she probably did or said."

**A/N: Sorry for the delay guys. Real life has been hectic and now I'm back! I'm trying to lay a lot of groundwork before the actual Games so I hope you guys enjoy the chapters and be patient before any real action begins.**

**FF. net has image features now, cool I guess. I can't draw or compose pics worth a lick that means art contest! If anyone is interested in designing a cover for "Burden of Choice" please PM me and I will give you my email addy to send the pic to. The winner will get their artwork featured for this story and full accolades in an A/N as well as the top 3 picks. I know there's got to be a talented artist or two among my readers. Deadline for submissions are 7/12/2012 midnight EST. Good luck and Happy Reading/Drawing!**


	6. Chapter 6

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

Nemesis stealthily made her way back to the offices above the Hob. With her Slayer agility and years of training, she silently climbed the decrepit building's lattice iron and wood staircase. She was certain without her speed and quick feet the structure would break under her weight but she was able to get into the place she called home the last few months unscathed. Chloe on the other hand was not as forgiving as the fire escape.

"_Awesome, now I get to deal with another short pissed off brunette_," she thought sardonically, bracing herself for another onslaught of pissy attitude.

"Have you lost your mind?" Chloe whispered, trying her best to not raise her voice and alert the customers down below.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I went outside and talked to people, big fucking deal," Nemesis replied, her own patience running out for having to defend herself.

"It is a big deal bonehead. I don't know if you've forgotten but we're in another time and or place. A place, I might add, that does not have people unaccounted for. How could you even think you could waltz in and just act as if you belong here?"

"Simple, ice crotch, no matter where we go people are people. If you actually belonged to the human race and not the automaton hermits you seem to be apart of, people normally don't question you if you don't act guilty. Act normal and people see you as normal. Also, we happen to be lucky enough to be in a place with a very distinctive social stratus. I say I'm from the Merchant class, the Seam doesn't know the difference. When I go into the Quarter I'm going to say I'm from the Seam; no one is going to cross the picket line. No one is going to find out. Unlike your research, mine is actually useful."

Chloe clenched her jaw at her sister slayer's last barb, her temper rising at the accusation that she was useless.

"Yes, you're so useful Nemesis. Being a peeping Tom and busying yourself with mindless chores a monkey could do."

"Excuse me? I'd like to see a monkey fix a wagon and chop wood. If anything, I'm doing chores a highly sophisticated chimp could do."

"Will take things seriously? We've been wearing the same clothes for two months and eating nothing but rabbit. I'm so sick of rabbit!"

"If you're so sick of the food I provide, then feel free to catch something else."

"Why can't you just conjure other food? You'd think with three years of magic training they would have taught you more than making rabbits appear."

"Why can't you build a Stargate to take us home? You're the super genius at math and science. I know you don't have any technology or possibly even the know how but apparently that shouldn't matter. You can't? Oh right, because it's not that simple. Magic isn't waving a wand or simply speaking commands in Latin, you should know you flunked out of magic training."

"Sorry I actually sleep at night and can't stay up to read magic book after magic book. So sorry I don't stay up all hours learning worthless hobbies like garland weaving or soap making to avoid a few bad nightmares."

"If you were a **real **Slayer, you'd have the dreams too and avoid them like the rest of us.

"The accusation of being less than any other Slayer set Chloe off and she lashed out at Nemesis. Weeks of frustration had boiled over and she couldn't take it anymore. The blonde Slayer saw the attack and easily deflected the punch. Nemesis quickly subdued her roommate by flipping her over and had Chloe facedown on the floor with her hand behind her back. She really hoped that no one paid attention to the audible thud and came to investigate.

"Chloe, I have six years of training over you. While you were still playing with Barbies I was beheading vamps and that was before I was even Called. Don't think for a second you could ever get the advantage over me," Nemesis said darkly and Chloe for the first time felt fear of her sister Slayer; pain from the light haired girl's grip blooming from her wrist. For a moment she feared Nemesis would break her hand.

Nemesis realized what she was doing and a small feeling of guilt stabbed at her. She knew she was stronger and more trained than Chloe and she was about to fracture her wrist. Her parents would be ashamed of her for taking advantage of a weaker opponent and using unnecessary force. Nemesis quickly let the other girl go and headed towards the windows.

"Where are you going?" Chloe asked a little shaken at the encounter.

"I'm going to the forest to think," she replied softly, frowning at the hand shaped bruise forming on the brunette's wrist. She felt even guiltier knowing how resilient Slayers were and how hard she must have been holding her in order for the discoloration to appear.

She left without another word and escaped into the calm sanctuary of the forest. She had followed Katniss and Gale into the woods several times, remaining unseen as she watched them hunt. The girl had bow skills even a Slayer would be jealous of and Nemesis wondered if she had any Slayer potential in her. After a few encounters with the brunette, she knew that Katniss was one hundred percent unsupernatural human; her skill developed through necessity and plenty of practice. Nemesis herself had a fairly good grip on bowing but it was not her weapon of choice. In battle she preferred that her weapon stay at her side and not run out. In hunting though, being able to kill at a distance it was essential.

She got to the clearing and spotted the old tree where Katniss hid her bow and arrows. She held the bow and saw was well made from sturdy osage-orange wood. She was impressed at the craftsmanship and that the maker could even handle the difficult timber; the tree being laden with latex and knots. She sat cross legged beside the tree and cleared her mind while holding the weapon. She knew that one of Chloe's problems was that she was going stir crazy with nothing to do. She needed a purpose and Nemesis thought that hunting would be a good start. She was getting sick of rabbit as well but hunting with a balisong or kitana were not the most efficient tools.

Nemesis slowed her breathing and tapped into the long chain of Slayers she was apart of.

_Nemesis was a girl of Tutelo people, running through the woods with nothing but the light of the silver moon to guide her. She was called Little Cougar, blessed by the gods to be quick and graceful. __She was different than other females of the tribe; she had known that all her life. She had dreams even their shaman could not interpret. She had skills no one had taught her. It wasn't until she was sixteen when a white man had come and explained why she was so much stronger than the men. The Chief of her people knew her abilities as well, allowing her the use of the bow and arrow; the weapon became an extension of her being as she slew the demons that plagued her people._

_Others lived in fear of the Iroquois and they were at constant war with the Powhaten. Only she stood between them and the creatures that shunned the light._

_She crept to the clearing, sensing their unholy presence. She saw their inhuman face, ridged and fangs grotesquely shown; blood strained their chin having fed the night before. Dirt still fresh upon them as they emerged from the ground after daylight hours. She let the first arrow fly, quick and merciless as an eagle grabbing a fish straight from the river. Others had come out and she fought them off valiantly. __She had killed the nest before dawn._

_ Happy that there were few less monsters in the world but knew there would always be more. Her bow broken in the fight but no matter; she would start to craft another the very next day.__Her deft hands expertly molding the wood, ready to hunt another night._

Nemesis woke from her memory of a past Slayer, learning from those who came before her. She knew the woods a bit better despite how much time might have passed. How the land has changed but not too drastically. Gone were Little Cougar's people and an ache appeared in Nemesis' chest. Were her people completely gone as well?She shook her head and focused on the present needs.

She saw a tall hickory tree that would suit her just fine.

* * *

><p>Later that night Katniss sat in her two bedroom home, sitting in front of the fire with Prim in her arms as the younger Everdeen talked about her day. School had begun and the world of the grade 13's had been buzzing with the latest gossip of who was going steady with who. The elder Everdeen sister indulgently listened to her sister ramble on about the going ons of her peer group, glad that the most Prim had to worry about was if Lily Chastain wasn't speaking to Ash Sproose; the core of her circle of friends.<p>

Nemesis lurked outside the Everdeen household convincing herself she wasn't being creepy and weird.

"_I'm not lurking, I'm discreetly waiting for Katniss notice me because I do not feel like hearing her bitch about revealing myself to her family," _she tried to convince herself.

It didn't help she was crouching and hid under the guise of night. It also didn't help she was eavesdropping on Prim's recount of her day because she was desperate for more gossip. The fact that she cared what the local thirteen age-group were up to meant she had definitely run out of things to do.

After she learned of Ash's betrayal of speaking to the sought after Hilt Underhill supposedly behind Lily's back, Nemesis concentrated on the dark haired Everdeen.

"_Look at the window," _she mentally aim must have been off because it wasn't Katniss that looked at the window but little Prim, frowning at the compulsion and seeing nothing but instinctively knew there was something there.

Nemesis quickly ducked and hoped the blonde Everdeen did not see her.

"What's the matter little duck?" Katniss asked, noticing Prim's focus on their window.

"I thought I saw something," she replied. The Slayer overheard the conversation and cursed the gods for their sense of humor.

"_Awesome. One sister is resistant to psychic control and the other is sensitive and can tap into links not directed at her. Fuck my life."_

Prim started to head towards the window to investigate but Katniss' protective instincts held her at bay; the elder sister would be the one to investigate strange occurrences and be the one in harms way if something hostile was close. Katniss' eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the squatting Nemesis under her window sill.

The blonde at least had the decency to look contrite and awkwardly smiled to try to appease the rage that was apparent on the huntress' face.

"Meet me at the fence," Nemesis mouthed as she swiftly moved away from their house and into the darkness.

"Anything out there Kat?" her little sister asked.

"Yeah, a huge opossum. I'm going to go and kill it."

"Do you have to? It's not hurting anyone."Katniss hesitated at seeing her little sister's wide eyes and compassion for animals. It was the reason why Prim never learned to properly hunt and with their abundance of rabbit lately she hardly had to use her bow. But she wasn't actually going to kill an opossum so she told Prim what she always did.

"It's meat on our table and fur to trade. I'll be back soon. Go to bed."She then kissed her sister on the head and walked towards the fence across the meadow where Nemesis disappeared after grabbing her coat and a few other things.

When she got to the fence she saw the girl leaning on a post against the fence. She didn't know if Nemesis knew the fence wasn't electrified or if she was just careful but Katniss found she was too angry to warn her.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Katniss asked angrily.

"Well hello to you too."

"Stop joking, this is serious."

"Kit Kat, you need to chillax."

"Chillax? What is chillax? Some made up Capitol nonsense because you guys have nothing better to do than sully the common language?"

"I don't know, my brain is all damaged and I don't remember things. Be nice to me. Forget about chillax, I need a favor."

"A favor?" she asked in disbelief. Was keeping her from the Peacekeepers not enough?

"Yeah, a favor. That's in your vocabulary right?"Katniss did not appreciate the sarcasm and turned to walk away.

"Wait, OK sorry. But I do need your help."

"What makes you think I'd do anything for you?"

"Because under the 'cold bitch' exterior you're a really good person."

She had been around Nemesis enough to know when she used bitch it wasn't to describe a female dog but a mean person. When she brought up the real meaning of the word and asked why she didn't use witch instead, the blonde acted offended. The other girl went on about how witches were women who wielded power and not evil hags. She then continued on the misogynistic tendencies of society and their fear of powerful women; Katniss didn't understand what the girl was saying and let it drop.

"What makes you think that?" her defenses up.

"Because a cold person wouldn't help two injured strangers and hide them. A cold bitch wouldn't look at her sister as if she was the most important person in the world; she wouldn't listen to her ramble on about her silly friends while she seriously couldn't give two shits. A cold person also wouldn't donate excess rabbit meat and other game to the Community House and feed orphans. Seriously Chica, you're making me look bad here."

Katniss felt uncomfortable with her good deeds listed and she wondered how Nemesis even knew about it.

"I'm a ninja," Nemesis answered Katniss' unasked question.

"What?"

"It means that I'm really good at keeping hidden and following people. That's why you need to trust that I'm not going to get caught."

"You could have heard someone from the Hob talking about how it wasn't fair they had to pay for rabbit when I was giving it to the Home for free. And everyone knows I love Prim."

"I've followed you and Gale out to the woods and you never heard me."

"No you haven't," she replied convinced the blonde was lying.

"You keep your bow hidden in an old oak tree a quarter mile that way, covered in tarp," she rebutted while pointing to the hole in the fence and the path Katniss always took into the woods.

Katniss was gobsmacked at what Nemesis knew and a panic rushed into her. If Nemesis could follow her out into the woods then who else could? Fear of having to stop to hunting and not being able to provide for her family raced through her.

"Dude stop panicking, I happen to be very skilled at tracking and being unnoticed OK? Nothing to worry about, your heavy footed Peacekeepers won't be able to follow you into the forest. At least not the bunch here. Breathe."

"And how exactly do you know how to walk so lightly in the woods?"

"Pure awesomeness."

Katniss exhaled her annoyance at the popular explanation Nemesis liked to give. When asked how she knew how to tread Lady, Prim's pet dairy goat that had an infected utter, with a tea of comfrey and milk thistle her response was "For Aytch bitches!" Who was Aytch and what was she doing for them? The first explanation was completely conceited and the second didn't make any refused to ask further questions because she knew all she'd get was more nonsense.

"Fine, what's the favor?"

"I need you to take Chloe out to the woods with you, teach her how to hunt."

"Pardon?"

"Chica, we're literally attacking each other because we're so bored. I have my own things to do and she's too lazy to take an initiative."

"What things do you have to do?"

"That's not important. Focus Kit Kat. We're both also sick of rabbit so if you could teach her to shoot whatever edible birds or wildebeest or whatever you guys have here, I'd mucho appreciato."

It took Katniss a second to translate what she has dubbed "Nemspeak." She still didn't understand half of what the girl said but she got enough to know that Nemesis wanted her to take Chloe out and hunt.

"Come on, you could use another hunting partner during the week since Gale is in the mines," she went on seeing Katniss' hesitation. The huntress knew the girl wasn't wrong and her own customers wanted something other than the small mammals.

"Has she ever hunted before?"

"For food? No but she's smart and a quick learner."

Katniss frowned at Nemesis' distinction, what else would one go hunting for?

"Well she's going to have to meet me midday. I only have the one bow so the lessons will have to be after I've gotten my daily…"

"That's not going to be a problem so she'll meet you first thing in the morning," Nemesis interrupted.

"Why? If you want her to do something then standing with me half the day while I hunt isn't going to cure her boredom. And I don't want an inexperienced person tailing me that could scare away the game."

"I left a surprise for you at your oak," she replied with an unsettling smile. Before Katniss could protest any further Nemesis kept talking,

"Well that's settled. I knew you were a big ol' softy. Feeding orphans and teaching strangers to hunt."

Katniss rolled her eyes at the description she gave her and muttered,

"The meat would have gone bad after a day anyway. I can't afford the salt it'd take to preserve it. It didn't make sense to waste it.

"Come on dude, don't diminish the good deed you've done. Besides, you could have smoked it to make it last longer."

"What?" Katniss asked confused. An image of some of the miners rolling rabbit meat into the thin papers as if it were tobacco and lighting it up was the first thing that came to mind.

"You know, smoke the meat to preserve it."

"How does smoking meat make it last longer? If anything, inhaling it would be bad for you like retts are."

"Retts?"

"Retts…cigarettes?" Katniss finally spelled it out for her.

"What? No. Not smoke like you do cigs, smoke like…smoking meat. It's a thing."There was a major miscommunication going on and Nemesis had didn't know how to explain what she meant. It was something she just knew it was what it was and couldn't comprehend how the other girl couldn't know about it.

"You know what, I'll meet you two mid day and show you. Smoke rabbit meat, shenanigans…" Nemesis as she shook her head and was about to head out.

"Wait, I got the underthings you asked for," Katniss stopped her and reached into her packet was small and contained the ugliest underwear made from soft cotton. She wasn't going to be picky given the circumstances and was grateful for what she got.

"Sweet, thanks."

"They're underclothing, you don't eat them," Katniss explained, puzzled at Nemesis' reaction to her purchase.

"I know that weirdo."

"Then why did you say swe…Nevermind. I'm going home."

"Kay, later."

"Later what?"

"Jesus, I mean goodbye."

"Why don't you just say that?"

"Goodnight Katniss"

The two went their separate ways both a little frustrated at the exchange and didn't know why it was so hard to communicate.

The surprise, Katniss found out the next morning, was two perfectly made bows and quivers filled with arrows. Chloe had no explanation for their appearance and she was amazed at the craftsmanship. Neither was as nice as her father's but they were made from good strong hickory and helped greatly. Now there were three able hunters for District 12 when Chloe had proven to be a quick learner like Nemesis promised. Gale was happy to get more practice with the bow and they were able to hunt more than ever from the bountiful woods surrounding the district. **  
><strong>

When she asked the blonde where she learned how to make bows, she cryptically stated that "Someone who used to live around here helped me out." Which didn't make any sense because Katniss would have known the person and she was very certain Nemesis had never been to District 12. Her concerns over their two wards were disregarded since their presence had resulted in good things.

"Why question a good thing?" her longtime hunting partner asked.

Katniss should be happy for the help and all the food. Hers and Gale's families have never been so well fed. The poorer families and the Community Home have have also benefited from the bountiful hunts. District 12 seemed almost prosperous.

Charity was a rare thing in their home because there was hardly ever a chance that anyone had anything to spare. Katniss knew it was a good thing, especially when one was struggling to the point of being near death. She had experienced it first hand and had not turned down the generous and life saving bread from the baker's son. She was certain that he knew his gift was precious and was unable to properly thank him, her pride and inability to articulate her gratitude standing in the way.

So she paid back his gift in other more subtle ways. She gave meat she couldn't sell or trade to the Community House or particular needy families. Her hope that her help would save them from having to take out so much tesserae or even be in the clutches of their Head Peacekeeper Cray. Katniss realized how lucky she was to have a father that taught her to hunt. She and Gale were far from the only ones left fatherless by the mines.

They had plenty enough to share and why would she try to see the bad in it?

Still, Katniss couldn't help the weird feeling that crept inside her at every turn that things were not right. She felt that their hunting was too easy and that things couldn't not stay good forever.

She was right.

* * *

><p>Nemesis walked along the dirt road of the Seam, a path well worn into the Earth as generations have traveled before her. It was the first time she had ever felt like a true alien in a different land. She felt no connection to the place called District 12. Their traditions, food, accent, and values were completely different than her own. It wasn't the first time she'd ever been in an impoverished area or a culture not hers but there was nothing similar, nothing familiar. Her words were not their words, her food they had never heard of. She wanted to talk and mingle but things were often lost in translation. She faked her way through the Hob, they found her odd she knew. She figured their differences were rationalized by the MerchantSeam dichotomy. She was amazed at how isolated the two communities were that were less than a mile apart.

She knew that something had to change. She understood Chloe's frustration, she really did. They had gotten nowhere in two months and had no hope in sight to return home. Nemesis only wished the other Slayer would understand she was trying her best, there was only so much she could do without any magic books to guide her or any proper supplies. Time and dimension jumping was tricky even for the veteran witch, for someone who had only been training for three years (mostly in defensive and survival magics) it was like asking a junior varsity freshman to compete in the Olympics.

She was starting to wonder if traveling beyond the fence was their best bet. There was nothing in District 12 that much she knew. She just wasn't sure if it was worth the risk to journey in world that did not allow inter-district travel. If the rest of Panem was like the coal mining district then the world was a lot smaller than where she came from and there was no grasp of magic. She had tried to entertain a small child in the Hob with slight of hand but he had no idea what even magic tricks were. He delighted in her ability to make a coin appear behind his ear but it proved to her that any type of supernatural was unheard of. They didn't even have children's stories of boogie monsters to keep them in line. Instead it was replaced with terrifying Peacekeepers and something ominous called "The Reaping."

"_Note to self, ask Katniss or Gale what 'the Reaping' is_," she told herself for the hundredth time. She kept meaning to ask what the event was about, sounded dreadful, but it always slipped her mind as other more pertinence issues came up.

She at least felt productive at getting Chloe something to do other than obsess about getting home.

Her second order of business was finding them better accommodations. She was all for roughing it but since it seemed they were going to be there for the long haul, they needed to be somewhere other than above the Hob. It would be difficult in a place were no one actually owned their homes, only rented the buildings and houses from the Nemesis plotted how to get new housing, she stumbled upon the solution to her problem.

She literally stumbled over the answer to her prayers.

Just off to the side of the unpaved road a couple yards from the Hob lay the local lush, his feel poking into the street.

"_Haymitch Abernathy_," the name came to her, victor of the Hunger Games.

"Watch where you're goin'! I'm walking here," the drunkard slurred out barely comprehensible as he flailed his legs. He seemed to be unaware he was on his back, being completely wasted, and tried walking away.

"Wow, that's some impressive drunken antics right there…. OK no one around and the Hob is closed," she said as she looked around at the empty area. "So I guess people just left you where you fell. Damn that's cold."

Unlike the residences of District 12 she would not leave someone in such a vulnerable state alone in the cold and probably about to pass out.

"OK Drunky, where do you live?"

"In my house," he said as if she were the biggest idiot in the world.

"Great, you're completely hammered and a sarcastic douche."

He probably had a few more choice words for her but whatever they were she would never know because instead he vomited up whatever he was drinking and promptly passed out.

"And you just upchucked all over yourself, perfect."

Despite the state he was in, Nemesis still couldn't leave him there; she had also known many nights of partying way too hard and being a similar burden.

"This is karmic payback for all the times I made Rev carry me home, isn't it?" she asked the unconscious man.

His only answer was a loud and impressive belch.

"I thought as much. Alrighty, what do you have in your pockets? Ohhh an ID that states you are a victor of the 50th Hunger Games from District 12…with no address. Of course, it's not like this place is big enough to have street names anyway."

She continued to look through his wallet but found nothing useful; all he had was wrinkled and soiled money notes and a picture of a pretty blonde girl. She put everything back and removed his vomit covered coat then carefully folded it where she wouldn't touch his regurgitated dinner; which seemed to consist mostly of whatever he was drinking and a bowl of Sae's winter special.

"Lovely," she grimaced and took the bottle of clear liquor from his hand. "Well let's see what dinner consisted mostly of eh?"

She took a swig of the mostly empty bottle and she immediately regretted it as the liquor burned her throat and made her eyes water.

"Jesus, that's moonshine," she coughed out and tried to blink away the tears. The clandestinely made whiskey was the strongest drink she had ever had. Even with Slayer resilience she had a hard time putting it down, she didn't understand how a regular person was able to drink the almost paint thinner.

"White lightening indeed, Christ." She took a couple of deep breaths to get her bearings straight and moved her hand in front of her face to make sure she wasn't going blind.

When she was satisfied she wasn't going to lose her eyesight, she picked up Haymitch like a bag of potatoes, threw him over her shoulder, and headed towards the richer side of District 12.

The Merchant Quarter was nothing more than two story brick buildings, most of the commercial class living above their stores. The area was cleaner and the roads graveled, there was a notable lack of coal dust that always covered the Seam. The upper echelon only took up about two blocks, the rest were rows of tables that were used for the farmer's market and other goods for people that didn't have the money to rent out an entire store. There were only two stand alone farmhouses that the mayor and the Head Peacekeeper lived in. Then there was the barracks that housed the other Peacekeepers.

Nemesis walked the merchant area twice before noticing an actual paved path. The smooth black surface, that wasn't found anywhere else in District 12, led to a perfectly manicured community of houses. There were about a dozen or so gablefront homes that were huge even to Nemesis' standards. Each was in pristine condition but one. The standalone had weeds over running the yard and the porch in disrepair. She assumed it belonged to the intoxicated gentleman she carried.

She carefully made her way over the death trap porch and into the house. She breathed in the rancid air of many nights of not keeping his food down and never once cleaning, gagging as she made her way upstairs.

It was clear that he only used the lower part of the house because the second level was clean if not for the inch thick of dust. She found the master bedroom and plopped him down on the unused bed, making sure to prop him on his side and placed a trash bin beside the mattress. She glanced around the room and saw that besides the typical furnishings of a bedroom, there was nothing decorating the room.

Haymitch Abernathy did not have a home, he lived in a place he liked to throw up and pass out in.

She clicked her tongue and shook her head, wondering why a supposed athlete would fall so far from grace and live alone in such a state. Her pity was short lived as she spotted the huge bathroom with a separate bath and shower. She hurriedly undressed and jumped right into the shower.

It was a miraculous and blessed thing, a hot shower. She had not properly bathed in over two months and the glorious shower in the victor's house didn't run out of hot water, even after half an hour standing under the warm stream. As she walked out the steam filled bathroom and dried her hair, wheels were turning in her mind. She felt refreshed, revitalized, and able to take on anything.

Abernathy was a hot mess in a house that was falling apart and she was someone who was handy and with a lot of time to fill.

"Well Mr. Abernathy I offer my services as an assistant. I will clean your house and take care of your daily needs. I will take any money I will need for your expenses. I will also take a very generous starting salary for my duties and give myself bonuses as I see fit. Say absolutely nothing if you agree."

Haymitch lay as still as the dead. That was good enough for a binding agreement in Nemesis' eyes.

"Awesome, so glad we could come to an accord."With a new job and plenty to do, she immediately started to make the house more hospitable.

**A/N: Yay appearance of Haymitch, our favorite town drunk!**


	7. Chapter 7

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

Haymitch woke up slowly and in pain, his head rebelling like District 13. When his vision cleared and had enough wits about him, he started to panic because he was in an unfamiliar place. Waking up in the middle of the woods outside the Hob was something he could shrug off once he slept the booze off enough to stagger home. That was normal for him. Waking up in a clean white bedroom was another thing entirely and he worried he somehow broke into the mayor's, or worse Cray's, house and passed out.

He quickly walked out of the room, hoping to get to the Hob for more white liquor to deal with the eventual and unavoidable confrontation with the homeowners. He was even more surprised that he was no longer wearing the clothes he wore the night before but a fresh set of pajamas. Even stranger was that the house looked remarkably like his own…only clean. As he got to the bottom of the stairs he felt like he was in some kind of clone of his house but without the rank smell of his own filth.

"Did I break into one of the other victor houses?" he asked himself but knew he couldn't have since they were locked and the only way to break in was through the basement. He highly doubted he had cleaned himself up and dressed while blacked out.

He frowned and wondered if he had inadvertently agreed to be in on of the Capitol's idiot programs that involved placing unconscious people in foreign but similar places, seeing how long it took to them figure out where they were. He had been in a drunken haze the past couple of years and it wouldn't surprise him.

The house was far from the immaculate condition it was when he moved in but it was greatly improved from before. The stained carpet was torn up; the never cleaned vomit had eaten through most of it and stained the wood below. The windows were all open, giving the rooms a much needed airing out. He explored the other rooms, finally accepting he was in his house and someone had robbed him of every mired piece of furniture he had. He came to the kitchen and saw that most of it was gutted but on the counter was a note and a plate of biscuits beside a pot of coffee.

Drunky,

I'm the new assistant you hired last night. You've probably noticed some changes. First being that I cleaned you up. Secondly, I have rid your house of everything that was covered in your grossness. Slowly I will be re-furnishing your house. You are at the bottom of the list when it comes to the Capitol's furniture concern and I got things special made because all they offered was garish things in silk or leather with awful neon colors. So it will take a while. I took the liberty of allocating your funds for the project so don't worry about paying me, you've paid me plenty.

I got rid of your kitchen appliances because I wanted to update. Your old stuff was cleaned and donated to the Community Home. Don't be a douche and try to get them back.

When you leave, leave through the back door. I tore up your front porch and it won't be fixed until tomorrow night or the night after.

Don't worry, you will never see or hear me. Correspond by leaving notes.

Peace Out

-N-

P.S. Fun fact, your house is bugged. I moved them all to the basement. So every once in a while wonder down there and do whatever hot mess loud thing you do so whomever is tracking you doesn't get suspicious.

Haymitch blinked and re-read the note but no matter how many times he read it, it stayed the same. Rage bubbled inside of him at the violation and he threw the plate of food and drink across the kitchen. He furiously wrote back to the mysterious "assistant" in an unsteady scrawl,

Witch stay out of my house.

~H~

He went about his day and asked around town who the phantom helper could be. He was surly and frightened the soft delicate people of the Merchant Quarter. When no one seemed to be forthcoming with answers, he made his way to the Hob; buying more white liquor and drunkenly asking if any of them were tearing up his house. He had started to throw trinkets and tables over in a rage when they too seemed clueless to who would help such a man. It wasn't until the abnormally tall and strong Seam brat that illegally hunted grabbed him by the scuff threw him out did he give up his search. He was still fuming as he stormed into his home, not nearly drunk enough for his tastes. Things were made worse when his stash of hooch was gone and the bottle he purchased that day was destroyed when he was removed from the black market.

Haymitch passed his kitchen and it seemed his sneaky assistant had been around. There was another plate of food and a pitcher of water with another note.

Drunky,

1) No.

2) Don't be such a dick.

3) Moonshine is in the cabinet.

4) Porch will be done tomorrow.

5) If you make a scene like that at the Hob again, I'll break your legs.

-N-

Perhaps he was drunker than he thought because he kept reading the helper had put light from the moon in his cabinets. He went over to investigate and saw that she had supplied him with enough white liquor to last the week. His need for the poison overwhelmed any anger or indignation he might have at the heavy handed aide and he drank until he passed out.

True to the phantom's word, the porch was fixed when he woke up the next day. No longer where there loose boards or holes from drunken fits torn into the structure. Whoever was helping him had an eye for craftsmanship and handy with some wood. He briefly groused at how much money the timber probably cost and what the assistant was charging him but he let it go because he was well stocked in booze; nothing really mattered outside of his inebriated world.

They settled into a routine. He would tell the witch to go away; he or she would refuse and give him a rundown on the progress of his house. They also kept him fed and the supply of liquor never ran dry. He started to appreciate the less contact with other people he had to deal with. There was the exception of the random Seam family that thanked him for hiring them for his "canning and pickling business" whatever pickling was. He took note they were families of the girls that visited Cray more than once. He couldn't stomach the guy, preying upon young starving girls; the Head Peacekeeper's tastes seemed to run younger and younger as the years went by. Haymitch never said anything, didn't see a point. Things never changed and he wasn't fit to help anyone; even before the white liquor took hold of him and he was in his physical peak.

The Hunger Games taught him that.

So whenever he felt the ugly head of guilt peak its head, he simply drank more until the feeling went away; drank until all feelings went away.

Since it was easier than ever to fall into oblivion, he never paid any mind to the strange occurrences happening in his name. Something called a library opening was attributed to him, a wing of the Community Home named in his honor for his generous "donations", and a new sweet smokey sauce known as "barbieque" was all the rage; it sold to the Capitol and mostly District 10. He was richer than ever and still all he cared about was a bottle full of hooch. When a reporter from the Capitol asked him his secret recipe and how he felt stimulating the economy of District 12 he yelled obscenities incoherently at the purple bewigged reporter, eventually throwing a container of his precious white liquor. It was suffice to say that the Capitol was happy enough with their sauce and didn't bother him again.

Haymitch was so drunk most of the time he didn't even mind the caged rat that appeared one day along with his new furniture.

This is my pet rat Mayor McCheese. Don't kill or let him go!

Furniture is delivered and placed. The look is called country chic, please try not to vomit on it.

-N-

The crisp tan furniture gave the home a comfortable feel and it seemed almost as if a real person lived there.

He hated it.

But after a few gulps he didn't care. The couches were soft and he didn't wake up as bruised when he fell onto them. Soon it didn't matter because the aide created a bedroom from the unused office so it was easier than ever to live his life in an inebriated state.

He accepted that some brave soul from the Seam, had to be because the merchant class would never deign to do such work, felt the need to take care of him and take his money. It was a relationship he had gotten used to and it became his new normal.

It wasn't until the disappearance of Head Peacekeeper Cray that his intoxicated cloud was pierced and he started to suspect something was off.

Nemesis definitely dug her new digs. Mr. Abernathy still took to passing out downstairs so she converted the office into a bedroom for him. While the town drunk occupied the first level, she took advantage of the upstairs. She lived in anonymity and enjoyed the moderate conveniences she was used to back home. Never before had Nemesis fully appreciated indoor plumbing and daily showers so much. Nemesis more than made up for any costs she incurred. The clean house was a miracle in itself, especially when Abernathy seemed to have made it his life mission to vomit at least three times a week on the floor. She opted not to waste money on new carpet and instead refinished the natural wood flooring. She was also thankful that the world they were in had micro-fiber and that made cleaning the furniture a lot easier.

She still fought with Chloe but hunting seemed to take the edge off the otherwise tightly wound Slayer. The other Slayer refused to reside in the victor's house, firmly believing it was too risky. That was fine with Nemesis, she thought that having their own space was enough and if the brunette wanted to continue living in squalor then that was her choice.

Still, the better living arrangements did not quell Chloe's insistence that they do something other than live day to day. Nemesis remembered the fight they had that led them to go deeper into the forest than they had dared to venture beforehand.

"_You're doing this on purpose! You for some ungodly reason like it here and are purposefully not trying to find a way home."_

"_On purpose?" Nemesis yelled, not caring that she was raising her voice. They were situated on the second floor of the victor's house, the owner already dead to the world; she felt she could get her anger out and not worry about consequences since Abernathy had no neighbors._

"_I don't know what world you're living in but being poor sucks. Sorry if I'm actually doing something to create a better situation but don't think for one minute that I'm purposefully trying to stay here."_

"_Then what are you doing? Because to me: creating jobs for whores and staging faux family dinners with the Hawthorns and Everdeens seems a lot like **not **getting us home."_

"_They're not whores; they're starving girls barely into puberty lying with a disgusting man to feed their family. I'm trying to help them have a better life, how can you be so against that?"_

"_It's not your job to give them a better life, it's your job to get us home!"_

"_Job? Helping out your fellow man is everyone's job. I can't just look away when something I know is wrong is happening."_

"_Fine, whatever. What's with you and the Sunday dinners? And teaching them Italian? Teaching them how to make spaghetti?"_

"_What? The coarse flour they get from the government is selmolina. It's the perfect flour for making noodles. It lasts longer than biscuits and it's more filling. I helped make their food supply last longer. Same with the pickling and canning. I make these people's lives better. What is so wrong about that?"_

"_What you are doing is proving how much you don't belong here. The Italian language and most of its food doesn't exist anymore."_

"_And that kills me!" Nemesis shouted, her voice braking; it shook Chloe out of her diatribe and for the first time since joining the Slayer Organization, she saw tears well up in the blonde's eyes._

"_My father is Italian and my mother is French. The food, language, and the people are part of who I am. I have family dinners on Sunday. I cook and feed people I love; we connect over food and conversation **at the dinner table**. That's what **I **do. It's part of who I am and who I was raised to be. The fact that centuries of tradition and legacy are gone is just... I feel rootless and floating in nothingness. How could have it all been wiped away? How could it have been forgotten?"_

_Chloe remained silent; the same empty feeling ate at her also. This place had no synagogues, no Bat Mitzvahs, no celebration of lights. She felt as if maybe she came from nothing; if she came from nothing, where could she go?_

"_You think I don't want to go home?" Nemesis went on. "I think of home every moment of my life. I think how Katniss could have made a really good Hunter in the Organization, I think of how much Rev would have really liked her. I think Gale would have been super popular among the Slayers and Prim would make a really good healing witch, she has the spark of magic you know. I think introducing Blaze to Lady would have been really funny because she hates goats and their weird rectangle pupils. I think that maybe for once in her life, my grandmother would be proud of me and how many of her recipes I remember, how I can teach others Italian..." she stopped for a moment as she remembered the close group of Slayers and tears finally managed to escape her eyes._

"_I want to go home more than you know but I just don't know how." _

_Chloe felt guilty at the amount of pressure the other Slayer must have been feeling and most of it was because of her. She knew there wasn't anything in District 12 to help them and she was beginning to see that magic wasn't quick fix she was hoping for._

_The brunette Slayer sat next to Nemesis on the bed she had settled on, the fight in her left._

"_I think we should explore the woods more. Get an idea of the land and maybe see where the next district is," Chloe suggested._

_It was something they wanted to avoid, traveling to another city and possibly being caught as unregistered aliens; especially since it seemed the world was not aware of magic, even in the imaginative sense. They were running out of options though and taking a day to explore couldn't set them back any further than they were. _

"_Yeah," Nemesis said and nodded her agreement while whipping away her tears. "We'll pack food for the day and hunt if we stay out longer. District 12 will OK without us for a couple days."_

"_Plus they should get used to us being gone since eventually we will make it home," Chloe responded, trying to lighten the mood with some optimism._

"_Right. I super need to get home anyway…I have amazing floor seat One Direction tickets that I don't want to go to waste."_

_Chloe laughed, even during a serious bonding moment the blonde found some way to make a joke._

"_You think I'm kidding but these are right up against the stage. I could just grab Liam and disappear. Literally I know how to disappear if need be. One of the first things I learned."_

"_Well if I could have Niall then I'll totally help you out anyway I could."_

"_Deal"_

_The two Slayers snickered and relaxed to be normal teenage girls. Then they planned the excursion to see what lie beyond the woods._

That's how they ended up outside the fence of District 12 after dark. They had spent the last day and a half trekking through the woodlands, heading south. All they found were more woods and some abandoned houses that had to have been built either before the Dark Days or a little after society had collapsed. They were nothing more than frames and bricks; they were abandoned and nature had taken them back, covered with ivy and grasses. There was nothing inside them to help them get home or even figure out what had happened to America.

They had traveled approximately three hundred miles away and back to District 12, their Slayer speed making quick work over the earth. They had not gotten any closer to a way home but at least their suspicions were correct: the land was mostly wilderness and very few people populated Panem compared to what they were used to.

They easily navigated in the dark; a little magic aided them in finding the exact location of their new home. The mood solemn as the idea of permanently staying in District 12 was a real possibility.

Nemesis felt a distinct chill in the air and it wasn't because spring had barely started. The chill wasn't felt on her skin but under it, her instincts tell her something wasn't right. It wasn't until they got to the fence that she got her first tangible clue that something was off.

"Wait," she said as she grabbed Chloe's hand before she touched the fence to crawl under it.

"What?"

"Listen."

The two Slayers trained their ears and they heard a low buzzing coming from the wire. Nemesis reached her hands and extended her powers, a light wisp of energy flowed from her to the fence, confirming her hypothesis of what the noise meant.

"The power is on."

"Why?" she asked since it was the first time the fence had been live in the months they had been there.

"I don't know…do you smell that?"

Chloe sniffed the night air and knew what her sister Slayer was talking about. An acrid scent assaulted her nose and in the distance they saw the usually dark district light up in a blaze.

"Shit, there's a fire. We need to get over the fence quickly."

The Slayers wasted no time, Nemesis cradled her hands and Chloe stepped into it and was thrown gracefully over the fence. Nemesis swiftly climbed a nearby tree and with supernatural reflexes landed safely on the other side. With unnatural speed they were at the outskirts of the Hob where people had gathered to watch their livelihood turn to ash.

"What's happening?" Nemesis asked Ripper, the one armed seller of liquor.

"New Head Peacekeeper. Where you been?" she asked, remembering she hadn't seen the tall blonde around the last couple of days and wondered why she wasn't up to date.

" Around…New one?" Nemesis avoided the question and pushed Ripper mentally to tell her everything.

"Apparently old Cray has disappeared. New Head Peacekeeper is called Thread. Caught Gale this morning with a poached turkey…shame what they did to'em."

"What'd they do?" Nemesis asked very worried, her stomach sinking with the reality of the situation.

"Whipped his back to shreds. That's not all."

"Jesus…what else?"

"Know all those girls that used to…'visit' Cray?"

"Yeah," her heart racing with worry over the girls she had been helping the past few weeks.

"Peacekeepers took them in for questioning, some people must have talked. Haven't heard from them since. What in the twelve districts they could be doin' to those poor girls, I'd rather not think about it."

Nemesis didn't even respond to Ripper, she took off towards the largest building in the area; the Justice Building was the only place she could think of where they could have taken the girls. She stopped several stores short of the building, hiding away in an alleyway between the butcher's and the shoemaker. The foul sickly sweet stench of days old meat surrounded her but she didn't flinch at the scent. She needed to calm down and think. She couldn't just barge in there and demand where the girls were. Questions of who she was would be raised and she had no way of knowing who was in there. Mr. Abernathy knew her as "N" and people from the Seam knew her as the mayor's daughter. Mr. Undersee could very well be in there and she knew at the very least he'd be able to discern if she belonged there or not. She did see it was swarming with other Peacekeepers, all waiting for their orders from the new Head no doubt.

She gathered her wits and strength, quietly whispering a spell she had preformed many times, the easiest one to master. Nemesis placed her palms over her face and wiped over her head and down her body, as if she was erasing her she was and replacing it with someone else. No longer did the tall blonde Slayer stand there but a stocky Peacekeeper in full uniform, an aquiline nose stood out in the middle of "his" face. She had glamoured the image of a high ranking Peacekeeper she had seen around Cray on several occasions.

She walked with the stiff and purposeful gait she had seen the others do as they made their rounds in the Seam. Other Peacekeepers stood attention but did not question her when she entered the building. Although it was the biggest building in the district, it was only one level and she had made her way through the hallways swiftly. There was no door left locked but her heart sank when she got to what looked to be an interrogation room; the floor was wet with fresh blood and urine but still no prisoners. Her search was turning to be fruitless until she came across another Peacekeeper.

"Where are the female prisoners?"

"Female prisoners sir?" the lower ranking official asked, not quite sure why the second in command was asking him.

"The ones from this morning, they were being questions on Head Peacekeeper Cray's whereabouts."

"They're on a train to the Capitols as traitors…you were there when they boarded sir," he stated uncertain, wondering if the questioning was some sort of test. The new Head Peacekeeper was as strict and loyal to the Capitol as they came; he worried if Thread was trying to "clean house."

Nemesis as the Peacekeer said nothing in response and got out of dodge. Others questioned where she was going but she ignored them, not caring if the man whose image she stole would get in trouble, she had to get to Gale.

Rage had built up inside her, the glamour faded as she couldn't concentrate her power enough to keep up the illusion. Several innocent girls whose only crime had been an act of desperation under an unscrupulous figure of authority were treated as criminals. From the incineration of the Hob to Gale's punishment, she could imagine what the Capitol would do to them, unable to hold in her fury an unfortunate cauldron on the street in front of the ironsmith met with her fist and a huge dent was left in its wake. The same happened to a couple of brick walls as she made her way to the Everdeen's.

**A/N: Two chapters? Lol Enjoy!**


	8. Chapter 8

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

The residences of the Seam were all scared and tucked away in their small homes, the only light coming from Katniss' house. She knew that Mrs. Everdeen was the only healer in the district and there was no way they'd take Gale to the local doctor as his prices were too high; he probably wouldn't help a convicted poacher anyway despite his weekly purchase of rabbit.

She hesitated before tapping on the door, unsure if she'd be any help. So far, she had proven to be more trouble than help to the people of the Seam. She knocked lightly on the old wooden door with her left hand; her right seemed to be broken from her hissy fit through town.

Little Prim opened the door and ushered her in. She had met Katniss' younger sister a couple of weeks ago much to the annoyance of the elder Everdeen. She had yet to have a full conversation with the Everdeen matriarch as the huntress could barely be in her mother's presence and when she asked about it, Katniss shut down and wouldn't talk about it.

Nemesis walked into the small home and immediately saw the damage to Gale's back, or what was left of it. Strips of linen lay bloody in a basket at the side of the cot the hunter lay on. She wasn't sure how he was sleeping through what had to be painful lacerations that moved whenever he breathed.

Katniss sat by his side, holding his limp hand with a hard expressionless look on her face, a cloth nursing a cut on her cheek. She had tried to talk to the dark haired girl several times but it seemed she was deaf to the world.

Mrs. Everdeen strode into the room, checking his dressing and shaking her head; it was as if she knew something better to help him but was unable to provide it. She nodded politely in greeting but they said nothing to each other. The older woman went out of the room after looking at her daughter's linked hand and Nemesis thought she saw some kind of memory haunt the usually passive face of Mrs. Everdeen.

Only small blonde Primrose Everdeen showed worry over the injured man, wringing her hands on a dressing strip and tears in her eyes.

"Hey, piccola. What's going on?" Nemesis asked quietly.

"Ciao Mari," Prim sniffed and spoke in perfect Italian, calling her by the name she had given her. Prim and Mrs. Everdeen actually knew the real Madge Undersee so pretending to be her was out of the question. She had taken the pseudonym of Marigold "Mari" Reeds, the unremarkable Merchant child among many that were never allowed to associate with the Seam class until she grew old enough to make her own decisions.

"What happened to your hand? It looks broken."

The Slayer pulled her long sleeve shirt over her injured hand, hoping she could convince the girl it looked worse than it actually was.

"Non è niente. Appena alcuni graffi," she tried to convince her.

"Sembra rotta," Prim insisted.

Nemesis had wanted to share her culture as a way to pay respect to her ancestors and make the place a little more like home; so she taught them many recipes and even Italian when they heard her speak it unwittingly. She had started to speak the language of her father when explaining a recipe her grandmother had taught her and she forgot where she was.

"I'm fine, really. What happened?"

"Gale was delivering his weekly wild turkey to Head Peacekeeper Cray. Katniss said they hadn't seen him around the Hob for a while but they brushed it off as he was busy. But instead of Cray it was Thread, and he arrested Gale for poaching from the Capitol. He strung him up to a post in the town square and whipped him till he passed out. Kat jumped in front of the whip and it caught on her face. Thread finally stopped when Madge intervened. They argued for a bit but it wasn't until Mr. Abernathy talked smart to him that Thread finally relented. He helped Katniss carry Gale here, Madge gave him some of her mamma's morphling to knock him out but mamma thinks we might lose him on account of the blood loss; and it looks like infection is setting in. She hasn't said anything yet but I know her looks," Prim could no longer talk as the fear of losing a close family friend hit her and she began to cry in earnest.

Nemesis pulled Prim close and tried to sooth the frightened child.

"Hey now, it'll be OK. Your mamma is the best healer there is. I'm sure she has something up her sleeve that can help."

"No she can't, there ain't enough snow anymore to make snow coat. It was so dirty in the town square and we couldn't get him here in time to clean him up. His fever is dangerously high…I just don't know what we're going to do without Gale."

"What about the town doctor? I know Gale is in big trouble right now but I can get the money. I'm sure we can convince him to at least sell us some antibiotics or something."

Prim frowned at the medicine she had never heard of but explained,

"No, Thread told the doctor he's not to come to or sell to the Seam. He said that traitors don't deserve Capitol medicine."

Nemesis cursed under her breath so Prim wouldn't hear her and she tried to think quickly what she could do. She spotted the cabinets filled with row after row of herbs and medicinal spices, she got an idea.

"Prim, I want you to get some sleep and make sure Katniss goes to bed too. No need for her to stay up all night if he's knocked out."

"She won't talk to anyone though…"

"I know but please try to get her to bed. You all need your rest and you want to be up and alert when Gale needs you right?"

Prim eagerly nodded her head and looked like she was thinking of how to get Katniss to sleep.

"Prim, here are a couple of coins I just need some of your mother's stash."

"What are you taking?" Prim asked, not because she was suspicious but to keep an accurate inventory.

"Some lavender and valerian root."

"I'll be having trouble sleeping tonight too."

Nemesis couldn't help but be impressed by Prim's knowledge of herbs and their uses at such a young age. She knew she was making the right choice in regards to the little blonde girl.

"Where's Gale's family?" Nemesis asked, noticing the lack of his family members.

"His momma is at home with his brothers and sister. She didn't want them seeing Gale like this and no one is willing to look after them because of…" Prim trailed off.

Nemesis understood without it having to be explained. Gale had become enemy number on because of Thread and people were too scared to associate with him now.

"Buonanotte piccola."

"Buonanotte Mari."

Hours later she returned to the Everdeen household and was glad to see Prim had managed to convince her sister to leave her vigil at Gale's side. The sisters slept on a small bed together, their mother alone in the other room while Gale slept in the living room. Nemesis quietly opened one of the windows enough to let a little air through.

Between her hands she rubbed the dry herbs together until they crumbled while she recited a spell,

"Katniss Everdeen, Angelica Everdeen, Gale Hawthorne:

_Be not disturbed by touch, sound or sight_

_Stay in slumber till the morning light_"

She then lightly blew on her dusted mixture and it lit up an iridescent ethereal purple. It lightly flew to her targets and settled on their eyes, the sleeping inhabitants only slightly moved as they felt the tickle of her spell but did not wake and would not until the sun rose.

Nemesis opened the front door and walked in. Prim seemed to be a fairly heavy sleeper but she was slightly worried her spell worked on the entire house instead of the intended recipients. She placed her hand on the younger blonde's shoulder and shook lightly; sleep slowly lifted from Prim's eyes and she looked at Nemesis as if she wasn't sure of what she was seeing. Once she realized that someone who shouldn't be in her house was above her she took a deep breath to scream. Nemesis swiftly placed her hand over the girl's mouth, the shout wouldn't have woken anyone else in the house but that didn't mean she wouldn't wake a neighbor.

"Whoa there...it's me," she said trying to calm the girl down.

Prim's eyes finally widened in recognition and relaxed under Nemesis. The Slayer removed her hand and the younger Everdeen asked,

"What are you doing here?" she whispered as quietly as she could and was surprised her usually deft sister hadn't woken up.

"Don't worry about whispering they'll sleep like a baby until morning."

"How..."

"I'll explain. Come with me to the living room."

"Living room?"

"Ummm...wherever Gale is."

"The common area."

"Right, let's go."

They traveled to the other room and stood next to Gale, his condition worsening as the night went on. Despite the spell, his breathing was quick and he was sweating a storm. Nemesis took a peak under the dressing. With the little light from the moon and her keen Slayer sight she easily saw the wound was angry and inflamed. His back was infected and she could see pus starting to form. He was trying to fight but there was only so much herbs and rubs could do against that kind of injury; not to mention he had been hurt in the melting slushy muck of the town square. God only knew if the whip used to lacerate him had ever been clean. All in all his back was a petri dish of bacteria and there was no sterile hospital or room in sight.

There was something that could help; at least she hoped it would.

Nemesis looked at Primrose; innocent and kind Prim who had the biggest heart of anyone in District 12. She was considering opening up an entire new world to her, a world of magic. It could be a light world filled with wonder and she could experience things never open to her before. Or it could be a dark hell where nothing but power mattered. Magic could corrupt, that was something drilled into Nemesis' head since the beginning of her training. Willow had told her heartbreaking tale of addiction and how far she had fallen. She would never want to see someone like Prim go down that path.

She looked to Gale and knew his predicament was her fault. She also saw how much Prim wanted to help but couldn't...not without her. So she breathed in deep and prayed she was making the right decision.

"Prim, do you remember those stories I told you? The ones with the powerful women?"

"The ones that fought bad Peacekeepers and had the one eyed man as a mentor?"

"Umm, no. The other women; the ones who could wield power over nature."

Prim nodded, she was unsure where Nemesis was going.

"What if I told you that kind of power was real? That there were people, like me, that could do incredible things you could only imagine about."

The younger girl frowned, confused at the question. How could magic be anything close to real?

"Katniss said that the magic you do is just tricks. You have quick hands and know how to distract people."

"Yes, the magic I've been doing to entertain you and others are just tricks; sleight of hand but...I'll just show you," she said growing impatient and knowing that magic couldn't be explained, especially to someone who had never heard of it until recently.

Nemesis brought her hands together and let the energy flow through her. As she had demonstrated to Willow before the big fight, she showed Prim that they were capable of amazing things. The room lit up with the light of the electricity that danced between her hands.

Prim's mouth dropped open, unbelieving of what her eyes saw right in front of her.

"How...why... I don't understand. Your hand is all better," Prim pointed out.

"Yes, I can heal quickly."

"So it was broken, I wasn't seeing things?"

"Yes it was broken. I'm sorry I had to lie to you."

Prim stood speechless, her whole world knocked off its axis.

"I know it's a lot to take in. The world is filled with so much more than what the Capitol says there is, part of that is magic. It's something that's been lost in time."

"Can you heal Gale?" Prim asked, starting to understand why Nemesis brought her out there.

"I can't," she said honestly and saw her head drop in disappointment. "But I think you might be able to."

Prim shook her head, convinced that Nemesis must have been wrong.

"Mari, I've never been to do anything like you have."

"Not all magic is the same. Some have...talent for certain aspects of magic. I happen to be good at electric charges and sigils. Others can have a knack at healing, something I'm really not good at."

"What makes you think I'd be any good at it?"

"I've been watching you…and not in a weird creepy way. I've noticed that you're very intuitive. You help your mother with her patients and I've seen you hand her things without being asked."

"I'm experienced, we see the same injuries and ailments time and again."

"Or maybe you're in tune with your mother and others in such a way you instinctively know what they want. Do you remember a few weeks back when you looked out the window and thought you saw something?"

Prim nodded, remembering vividly the urge to look outside their window, she didn't see anything but she knew something was out there.

"I'm not saying you definitely can do magic but I sense the spark in you. Now Gale isn't going to last long without more intervention, magic or otherwise. I wanted to try something."

"What?" Prim asked as Nemesis pulled out a simple iron athame and a chill of fear ran down her spine.

"Don't worry, it's not as scary as it looks. My idea was that we would become part of a coven. Basically a club for witches in the most rudimentary sense."

"And how do we become that?"

"Normally there'd be this whole circle ritual thing where we hold the blade to each other throats and promise to come together with perfect trust yadda yadda yadda…cliff's notes version is that we promise to trust each other unconditionally. The faster and more powerful ritual would be a blood ritual."

Prim's eyes widen in fear at the mention of blood, her own running cold at the ancient ritual and recognizing it for the powerful entity it was. She was on the precipice of something potent and life changing. Part of her was thrilled, an almost acknowledgment that what was happening was supposed to happen; a natural merger of herself and the world around her. Another part of her was terrified, that it might be too much and it would swallow her whole.

"Before we do anything, I need you to understand something. Magic is not a plaything. It's not something you take lightly and use to satisfy your every whim. It's a power that needs to be used with the utmost respect for the balance of nature and the universe. What I'll teach you can never be used frivolously or thoughtlessly. Magic can easily go out of control and cause a lot of damage if you don't treat it with the deference it deserves. Also…magic always has consequences. Always. Nothing is ever free especially when it comes to magic. To make something you have to give something. If we want to heal Gale, we either take it upon ourselves or we give something. Taking the wound for our own is not the option here but we can give part of ourselves."

"What do you mean? What part?"

"In most cases it's our life force, our energy. So once we heal him, we'll both be very tired. Hopefully me more than you since you don't have the experience or strength for something like this. So do you agree? Be a part of my coven and trust me to guide you through magic?"

"Yes, how can we do this?" Prim said with conviction and without hesitating. It was exhilarating and frightening to take on something so big and mysterious but she felt she was becoming who she was meant to be.

"We're going to do this quick and dirty, hold out your hand."

The younger Everdeen sister complied and she bravely stood still as Nemesis pricked her finger; a dark ruby pearl of blood welled and the older girl did the same to her finger. The Slayer touched the two cut fingers together and bound them together with a spell,

"My blood is your blood, my strength your strength. We enter this circle with perfect trust and vow to protect one another. As we will it so shall it be."

The air rustled with the rush of power and Prim felt an invisible cord connect her to Nemesis. A wave of power hummed under her skin and she felt more aware of the world around her. Her mother's herbs sang out to her, their power to heal a familiar melody she had always known but only truly heard that night.

Nemesis was pleasantly surprised at how much potential power little Prim packed. Her energy reacted with the Slayer's and Nemesis could tell that Katniss' little sister could very well become a powerful healer. Hopefully that night will be Prim's first successful spell.

The older blonde girl went over to the apothecary's stash and pulled some herbs. Prim recognized them as laurel and mugwort, Nemesis also had some leaves and berries she did not recognize despite her extensive knowledge and memorizing the hand drawn manual left by her father.

"What are those?" she asked of the plants she didn't recognize, eager to learn.

"These are what my fellow witches have dubbed 'glitter berries' because of how shimmery they are but officially they're called blessed fae fruit." Nemesis replied and showed her what she meant by squeezing the berries between her fingers. Prim saw they did indeed glitter in the moonlight. She had never seen plant or berry sparkle like they had.

"Where did you find them? There are more witches like you?" she asked excitedly.

The latter was a tricky question and Nemesis hesitated to answer. She had to tell Prim the truth if they were going to trust each other.

"Piccola, I need to confess something. My name isn't Mari…and I'm not from District 12. "

That was not surprising to Prim, she had a feeling that someone as magical and mysterious as "Mari" could not have come from her district. There was also the underlying suspicion of a merchant's daughter she had never heard about, even one who was never allowed any contact to the Seam. The population was small enough that everyone at least had an awareness of who everyone was even if they never came face to face with them. Before, she had told herself Mari had to be a citizen because there was no other option. Now that her world was opened up, she truly knew anything was possible.

"Where are you from? District 4?" Prim asked, thinking the fishing district was the most likely; the sea being a total mystery to her. See had seen mountains, fields, and plains but never the ocean. If anything could hold magic it was the unexplored waters she had never lay eyes on.

"I'm not from any district. I'm not from Panem."

That stumped Prim; if she wasn't from Panem, where could she be from?

"It would take way too long to explain and Gale is getting worse by the minute but please trust that where I'm from cannot be found out by anyone else, alright?"

The small blonde girl wanted to ask so many more questions but felt it was a test. She had agreed to trust the older blonde and she needed to abide by that promise. She nodded and Nemesis felt relief that Prim was going to explicitly have faith in her.

"OK, my name is Nemesis. You still have to call me Mari in front of your mom but Katniss and Gale know me by Nemesis."

"Do they know you can do magic? Can Katniss?"

"It's possible she could but no she doesn't know about magic, neither does Gale. This had to stay a secret between us, OK?"

"You want me to lie to my sister?" she asked, not feeling comfortable with that thought.

"Not lie per say but not telling her the entire truth. In all likelihood she's never going to ask about magic so really, it's not lying. It's really for her own safety. The less people know about our powers the safer everyone can be. Do you remember the bad men from my stories that tried to hurt the witches because they feared their power? That can still happen."

Prim understood the need for secrecy but didn't like it. She stopped asking questions and was willing to do what she had to in order to help Gale.

"Alright, the glitter berries can only be found by the light of the moon and they are wild berries that have been touched by fairies. I'll teach you how to look for things that normal people can't see. Next here we have Apollo's tongue which is a plant that only grows during the zenith of the sun," she described what looked like gilded leaves. "Laurel and mugwort you probably already know. Now take them in your hands and rub the concoction together."

Prim did as she was told and her hands started to tingle with the power of mixture, the herbs working together to create magic. Nemesis then led her to where Gale lay and placed her palms on his back.

"This might be a little gross but bear with me," the Slayer needlessly warned. Prim was a veteran healer's apprentice and a little infected wound would not sway her.

Nemesis took a deep breath and cleared her mind. She focused her energy into Prim's hands so that her power would be Prim's power.

"Now I want you to imagine the infection going away. Whatever that means to you, like either disappearing or even being destroyed. Just imagine that by your will the infection leaves Gale's body. Can you do that?"

Prim nodded and did as she was told. She imagined that all that was hurting Gale recede and never return.

"OK, now repeat after me. Purgare corpus."

"Purgare corupus," she repeated the unknown language without fault and kept lax as Nemesis guided her hands over the hunter's torn back.

A golden light seeped into his skin from her hands and she couldn't believe the power she held inside of her. The dark haired male frowned and whimpered in his sleep as the magic burned away the sickness but still he did not wake.

Prim suddenly felt exhausted and the wind knocked out of her. It was as Gale had sucked the energy right out of her and she suddenly understood what Nemesis meant about magic taking something from her.

The Slayer felt how weak the young girl got in her arms and felt it would be enough for that night.

"Hey there you did great. That's enough for now."

"But..he's not healed," she stated, confused that for her exhaustion nothing seemed to be done.

"Well not completely but we got rid of the infection. And for your first spell ever, that is mighty impressive. Trust me, I couldn't even cast a proper glamour for my first spell and magic doesn't get any easier than that."

Prim felt a swell of pride at her accomplishment even though she wasn't sure exactly what the other girl was talking about.

"See? His back isn't as swollen and red," Nemesis showed her under his bandages and she could tell that he was much better than he had been a few minutes ago.

They changed his dressings and threw away the old ones dirtied with his body's infected fluid. She wasn't sure how her mother was going to react to the miraculous healing but she was so glad that Gale was going to be alright. The relief overwhelmed her and tears sprung in her eyes.

Gale was going to be alright.

"Hey, it's going to be OK," Nemesis said soothingly as she pulled Prim into her arms. The new witch sobbed a few more times until she was calm enough to talk, getting the stress of the day out of her system.

"I know, it's just that…I really thought he was going to die."

"Yeah, it's been an eventful day. I'll come back tomorrow night and we'll heal him some more OK?"

"Will we be mending the actual cuts?"

"Yes we will. That'll take a lot of work and energy though, so get as much sleep as you can. I'll also drop off some food, you'll need to eat up. We'll make spaghetti puttanesca. That's your favorite right?"

"With lots of capers," she said enthusiastically, she had gotten as taste for all things sour and pickled. "Are you ever going to tell me what puttanesca means?"

"No," Nemesis said simply. Her mother would somehow figure out a way to travel time and space to beat her ass if she ever taught such a young girl profanities.

Prim huffed at the rejection but they said their goodnights. Nemesis was right, she was tired beyond anything she had felt before and slept through the rest of the night and until late morning. Her mother had been amazed at Gale's progress and Katniss seemed to be coming out of her shell.

The next night Nemesis came back like she promised. She introduced new magical herbs and another spell.

"Apollo Grannus quaesumus istum curare saltus. Sana, emendandum replete."

Nemesis explained the sun god Apollo and his healing powers. Prim was humbled that there were such powerful entities. The older girls warned that invoking the help of the gods was hit or miss and their intervention wasn't always benevolent. Again she warned to not use magic for frivolous purposes.

Little by little, night after night they healed Gale's back; making sure that his miraculous recovery wasn't too miraculous as to raise suspicion. Everyone attributed his progress to her mother and her great healer expertise. Prim wasn't jealous nor did she resent the credit going to someone other than her or Nemesis. They both gracefully agreed that Mrs. Everdeen was great at what she did and no one should have had any doubt.

Prim did feel guilty for keeping secrets from her sister but she took to heart Nemesis' warning. The Peacekeeper presence was felt more than ever in her short life. She had a sickening inkling of what they did to the girl's that frequented Cray and she wouldn't wish that on the older blonde girl. She did wonder if Nemesis had anything to do with the disappearance of Cray but the last time she saw him he had eyed her with a dark look and something she couldn't name. All she knew was that she didn't like it and had the urge to run and run far.

Despite Thread's reign, she couldn't help but be grateful that Head Peacekeeper Cray was no longer around.

**A/N: Things are getting serious eh?**

**I want to give a shout out to Wandering Eye, love the reviews and I am so happy you like the story. I admit I was questioning whether or not I could make a BuffyxHG crossover work but it is such a relief to hear that I did. **

**Also thank you to sophievampiress and RickDeckard! Reviews are love and gets me in a writing frenzy mood. **

**The cover art contest is still happening so send in your submissions!**

**Happy Reading and Drawing!**


	9. Chapter 9

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

Things had started to settle down in District 12. They had grown accustomed to the constant threat under Thread, life was slightly more miserable than before but they made due; they had done so for the past seventy four years. Katniss and Gale could no longer go beyond the fence and hunt but with a little help from Nemesis, they learned to push their palate further than they ever had before.

Katniss had never heard of dishes compromising of cow tongue or brain, the parts usually thrown away even in the poverty stricken district. They were the poorest cuts of meats one could find but they were heavy with protein and they really couldn't afford to be picky without fresh game.

"_I guess I should be thankful the new Head likes beef enough to order an entire cow for the butcher shop_," she thought with contempt. The anger that seeped in her blood was cooled with the reality that there was nothing she could do about it. She had told it to Gale enough times and now she had to remind herself of the same fact. The former huntress felt rather useless without the job to bring in food but Nemesis had taught her many things.

One being if someone was hungry and imaginative enough, even food normally cast aside could be palatable. She remembered the first time the blonde girl had brought in the odd cuts of meat.

"_Tongue? You expect us to eat tongue?" Katniss asked, not entirely sure if she had heard the other girl correctly._

"_Yes tongue…I know it sounds weird and all but it can be really good if you cook it right." Nemesis said as gently as she could. She understood where the raven haired girl was coming from. It seemed like the cheap cut of meat was still taboo in that time and she was in a battle to get the others to try it. She could easily jump the fence to get food but she didn't want to risk anyone being caught with it under the watchful eye of Thread._

_At least not until she took care of things._

_Katniss was skeptical but she knew she wasn't in a place to be picky. She had tried Sae's winter special and that had the odd choice of meat in it. Still; tongue, brain, and heart were pieces that were always thrown away or given to dogs. It was just never something they had ever thought of eating. Times were pretty desperate though and people needed to eat. She still had her family, plus Gale's while he recovered, to feed. Nemesis had shown them noodles so perhaps the strange girl had other culinary tricks up her sleeve._

"_So we boil the tongue first. Then we skin it, cut it, and I like to sauté it with onions and cilantro. I have some leftover spring onions so we're good with that. Have any cilantro…here it is," she said as she helped herself to Mrs. Everdeen's spices._

"_That's coriander," Katniss pointed out._

"_Same thing."_

_Only it wasn't and Katniss knew that. Never had she ever heard of cilantro, it definitely wasn't Common and it probably belonged to the strange language she was teaching them._

_Katniss wasn't sure why she agreed to learn "Italian" but she, Gale, and Prim took to it easily. She felt a distant connection to the foreign words, something in her blood ran ancient and forgotten; like a lullaby she heard as a baby but didn't quite fully remember because she was too small. Even Nemesis commented that they learned quickly but she seemed ecstatic that others would share in her made up language._

_Something told her the strange girl didn't make it up though._

"_You're not from Panem, are you?" Katniss asked lowly. It was impossible of course; there was no other country other than Panem. But deep in her heart she knew Nemesis could not be from around there. Not just District 12 but any district under the rule of such brutality as the Capitol. The girl was too wild, too kind, too rude, too everything not Panem to be from it._

_Nemesis Baratheon did not belong anywhere, Katniss knew it like she knew the bow._

"_No, I'm not," Nemesis replied knowing she couldn't keep lying. She swallowed hard the nervous lump at the confrontation. She could easily escape and survive on her own but she did not want to leave._

"_Where are you from?"_

_The blonde looked down and could not look Katniss in the eye. She couldn't tell the whole truth, she hadn't even done that with Prim. The younger Everdeen was too busy learning magic to really question where she was from. She was certain the younger blonde didn't want to know._

"_I can't tell you."_

_Katniss' brow frowned in frustration and anger; all that she had done for the girl and she couldn't at least be honest with her? Didn't she deserve the truth at least?_

"_You can't or won't tell me?"_

"_Both."_

"_I'm risking my life, my family's life, to keep you a secret and for what? You know your past, I think we can both drop the whole amnesiac act, and you're here for some reason you won't tell me. How am I supposed to trust you?"_

"_You can't…"_

_Katniss looked as if she were about to explode in anger and the bowl she held in her hands wasn't meant for the world but longer as her grip threatened to break it._

"_But you can trust that Chloe and I mean no harm."_

"_How do we know that you're not some Capitol spy? Seems like an odd coincidence that Cray goes missing and a strict and very loyal District 2 Peacekeeper is put in his place."_

"_I had nothing to do with Thread being hired…if I was some spy don't you think you'd be dead by now?"_

"_Gale's back tells me a different story."_

"_He was an unfortunate victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time."_

"_So I'm supposed to believe that you had nothing to do with Cray going missing…"_

"_I didn't say that. I admit I…disposed of Cray but I had nothing to do with Thread coming on board."_

"_You got rid of Cray? Why? He was complete deev but he was lax. We needed him so we could hunt in peace. So people could sell at the Hob and give the Seam much needed supplies."_

_Deev being slang for "deviant." Nemesis had learned through the new management that anyone who did not fit into the Capitols ideal of sexual propriety was punished severely. Unwed mothers and couples caught having pre-marital sex were sent to the stocks while homosexuals were executed on the spot. Nemesis had a running hit list of Peacekeepers she needed to punish for their inhumane acts._

"_Well when he was sniffing around your sister, I wasn't inclined to think about what would happen if he was gone."_

_The news hit Katniss like a blow to the stomach, the air escaping her lungs and she felt like the life in her was slowly ebbing away. Her worst fear of not being able to protect her sister was almost realized._

"_He only goes after the starving girls…" Katniss tried to deny, certain her hunting ability would never have her or Prim desperate enough to go to Cray. _

"_Well it seemed like he always wanted to bag one of the blonde merchant girls but they were untouchable because of their status. Your sister on the other hand is a pretty blonde girl from the Seam with a sister that's gone most of the day and a mother not exactly always on point. I caught him scoping out her schedule."_

_The grey eyed girl had to sit down; feeling very nauseated she was certain she would vomit. Suddenly the lack of hunting seemed inconsequential to her sister having her innocence stolen._

_She looked at Nemesis and suspected the girl was more dangerous than she thought. Chloe was deadly with the bow and could handle a knife. The blonde, though, had never shown any proclivity towards hunting. She hadn't seen her wield any weapon, not even the ones she had on her when she found her in the woods._

_Katniss didn't know anything about Nemesis and knew not to trust her. But she could have faith in_ _someone who saved her sister._

"_If they find the body, will they be able to link it to you?" Katniss asked after a pregnant silence._

"_They won't find the body. Ever."_

_The huntress knew she was telling the truth. Maybe that's where she and Chloe went missing for the two days. Her questions fading away as she started to learn that not knowing was the better option._

They were surviving and they would manage. Gale's back was healing,

"_Thank the odds,_" Katniss thought to herself as she foraged the meadow for some supplies for her mother. She had never forgiven the woman for disappearing on her and Prim when they needed her most but she was willing to let the grudge rest if it meant helping Gale. Her mother was truly talented when it came to healing and she needed something to occupy her mind other than school.

Katniss wanted nothing more than to drop out but per the Capitol's law, she had to stay in until she turned eighteen. Then she would be forced to work in the mines since she had no other discernible skills that weren't illegal. All merchant families passed down their trade to their children; and since they were rarely reaped, no merchant had been left heirless. So the status quo remained intact. Seam children grew, if they managed to survive the Games and starvation, to be miners and merchant children took over the family business. She was seventeen and living day to day wasn't going to be an option for very much longer. She eventually had to think about what her life would be like after the danger of being Reaped was no longer present.

For some unknown reason, she couldn't fathom a life outside the Hunger Games. Something seemed off; like she woke up to late and missed the morning bell for school. She was supposed to be someplace else but didn't know where.

Katniss had the odd feeling she was meant to do something but never had the opportunity to do so. She also had the sinking feeling that whatever she was meant to do, she still had to do it. It was just a matter of time before the opportunity presented itself.

Nemesis walked through the Merchant Quarter with purpose, not caring about the stares she was getting. She had been around town enough doing errands for Haymitch that they knew who she was. The story she made up for herself was a bit more scandalous than she had intended.

She had told the merchants she was the bastard daughter of a deceased female miner and an unknown father. Her original intention had been that she would be too lowly for any of them to know and therefore not question her parentage. While bastard children were not that uncommon in the Seam, blonde bastard children raised more than a few eyebrows. They had scrutinized her features and wondered which one of them could have fathered her. Her eerie resemblance to the mayor's daughter fueled the flames of the gossip and she had to resort to magic in order to throw the attention off of herself, something that was becoming a little too common for her tastes.

Thankfully they all had weak minds that easily believed she was Haymitch Abernathy's illegitimate daughter and her resemblance to Madge was just a coincidence. After all, everyone in the Merchant Quarter shared many of the same traits just as those in the Seam did.

She was teaching Prim how to be responsible and wield her powers sensibly but there she was using magic to fix her mistakes. She was out of the victor's house because her last purchase had filtered through Haymitch's drunken stupor enough to rile the miserable bastard. The note he left her made her think she ought to lay low for a bit less he actually venture upstairs.

What in the 12 districts are you doing with 200lbs of clay? Stay out of my house witch and stop stealing my money!

~H~

The note was written with splatters of his blood that she assumed came from the cuts on his hand that happened because he smashed his precious liquor bottle on the counter. At least that's what she hoped, if he was cutting himself on purpose to prove a point then he was for more gone than she had originally thought.

She got to the front of the bakery, her intended destination. She hesitated going in, unsure if her request would be met with a kick in the pants and showing her the door. Nemesis jingled the money she had in her pocket, sure that even with her low birth and odd request money was the common language that turned everyone's ear.

She stepped into the white washed brick building with a faded "Mellark's Bakery" above the door, it stood alone and once she felt the wave of heat from the ovens she understood why. There was sweltering warmth that pervaded the air and she wondered how the employees could stand working there.

Then she took a deep breath and working there made a lot more sense. There was the slightly sour scent of yeast and rising bread; cinnamon and raisins wafted through the air. She was reminded of the blistering summers she spent on the bayou, her grandmother's kitchen an inferno but the food well worth it.

The inside of the bakery was modest as was everything in District 12, at least compared to her standards. Compared to the Seam, the Merchant District held luxuries. The walls were filled with bins of various loaves of bread. She saw little signs that named them: raisin nut, pecan cinnamon, white, wheat, and a few others she wasn't familiar with. The windows were dressed with decedent white frosted cakes, decorated with precision and care. She was impressed with the sugared flowers and intricate swirls. The sign on the outside stated that most cakes were to order as were cookies. Nemesis guessed that the bakery couldn't display too many sweets and other non-essentials daily for the price of sugar was too much.

She saw a blonde her age in a white shirt and apron working the counter. He was hunched over an accountant's book, his brow furrowed in concentration. She noticed he was a bit stocky but well-muscled.

"_Hello broad shoulders_," Nemesis thought appreciatively as she made her way to the counter.

The boy noticed her right away, always on alert of customers. His mother had given him enough stern taps to teach him that he needs to be aware of and take advantage of any possible sales.

"Hello, can I help you?" he asked genially. "Mari, right?"

Nemesis was pleasantly surprised at his politeness especially in light of his knowledge of who she was. Apparently being a bastard child was not such a stigma to all. She observed his very blue cornflower eyes and was left just a little smitten. She also noticed that his eyes weren't the only thing of his blue; an angry bruise marred his strong jawline. She didn't know him and didn't think it would leave a first good impression if she asked him about it.

"Yes, I'm sorry I don't know your name."

"Peeta," he replied with a row of perfectly white teeth, smiling.

"Pita? Like the bread?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound as incredulous as she did to herself.

"No, it's a variation on Peter. My mother thought it was more Capitol than the common name."

"Oh I see. Well Peter means rock in Greek. So I think it's a lovely name either way."

"Greek?"

"Ancient language from before even the Dark Days. It's supposed to mean someone who is a bastion. Someone who protects or is a stronghold. You look strong indeed Peeta," she flirted as she softly dragged a finger across his arm.

Peeta smiled back and playfully flirted back. It always helped sell a loaf or two and it was harmless.

"So what can I do for you Ms. Mari, knower of ancient languages?"

"Well this is going to sound a bit strange but bear with me. I need your bakery."

All Peeta could do was raise an eyebrow in question.

"I am unfortunately with a proper kitchen or even stove at the moment. I need the counter space in order to make a certain dessert for friends of mine."

"Well if it's dessert you want, we have a cake for sale in the display and I can whip up a batch of cookies."

"Thanks but this is a special kind of dessert I doubt you know how to make…do you know what beignets are?"

Peeta shook his head, never heard of such a thing.

"I didn't think so. It's an old family recipe and I would really love it if I could make them for my friend. I'll of course pay you for renting out your kitchen."

He had never come across someone who wanted to use the bakery to make their own pastries. He wasn't sure how much they would even charge to use their space.

He was about to answer until he heard a familiar shrill voice.

"Peeta! You better have those figures done or so help me…"

Mrs. Mellark stopped in her tracks as she saw the bakery had a customer. Nemesis eyed the woman who looked like she had lines from a constant scowl on her face. The older woman sneered at her and was not afraid to let the girl know her feelings on bastard Seam children.

"We don't need your kind in here."

Peeta stood up straight and unconsciously used his body to shield the blonde, used to his mother's temper. Nemesis had no doubt that the woman would use physical force to get her out of the shop. However, she had dealt with snooty hateful people before and she would not retreat.

"Is that right? Not even for coin?" Nemesis said evenly as she produced her coin pouch, heavy with copper and nickel. She threw it on the counter and saw Mrs. Mellark's eyes widen with greed. The co-owner of the bakery seemed to be at war with her love of money and hatred of Seam children.

"I just need the space and use of your stove. I can provide the rest. I'll be in the back so no one needs to know I was here," she offered to sweeten the deal.

Mrs. Mellark contemplated the offer and knew she'd have to accept it. The pouch was almost a full day's pay and the girl wasn't asking for much. They had already baked all they would for the day and money was money, even if it came from a bastard.

"Fine, do what you need to do and leave from the back. I don't need proper customers to see you."

"Of course. Pleasure doing business with you," Nemesis said tritely with a sardonic smile.

Mrs. Mellark rolled her eyes and went back to the upstairs apartment, leaving the two teens to figure out the rest of the business arrangement.

"Sorry about her, she can be..." Peeta struggled to come up with the proper euphemism for his mother.

"_A huge mega bitch monster_?" Nemesis finished for him to herself. Normally she was never one to shy away from speaking her mind but usually knew when to keep her mouth shut in order not to jeopardize her getting what she wanted.

"Abrupt. She just really cares how to take care and provide for the family," he finished, hoping that the girl wouldn't think ill of his mother who he, despite her faults, loved.

Nemesis highly doubted Mrs. Mellark's dour disposition was due to the constant stress of trying to keep her family fed but if the blonde boy wanted to live in a world where it was true, she wasn't about to rain on his parade.

"Completely understandable. I'll be back in half an hour with my supplies and I'll try to be as discreet as possible."

Peeta's shoulders relaxed when it seemed the Seam girl and his mother was not going to butt heads further. The arrangement was strange but was beneficial to both parties.

"Would you need any help?" he asked, feeling he ought to give his services since she was paying so much just to use the bakery.

The Slayer figured the douchebag gene must skip generations at his kind offer and took him up on it.

"Yes, I'm going to be bringing by a large pot of oil, about a quart or so. I need it to reach around three hundred degrees. Can you get the stove to get that hot?"

The baker's son's eyes bugged out at the excess, oil was a dear resource and he had no idea what she could be making with so much.

"Yes...yes I could. It'll be ready when you get back. Anything else?"

"No darlin'," she drawled out, her southern charm leaking through. "But I may need some help to make them and I'll show you."

Nemesis came back when she said she would. The dessert was a simple recipe: mostly flour, sugar, and evaporated milk. She made four dozen of the square pastries with a cooking method called "frying." The dough, she called choux, was dropped in the scalding oil while he ground the sugar into a powder. The girl was animated while talking, telling him how her grandmother taught her to make them. She talked with a glow that he had never seen in District 12, he marveled at how much she loved her family and he was touched she would share it with him.

He was even more surprised that she only took two dozen of the confections with her and she offered the rest to him. "Mari's" generosity was abnormal for the poor district and she proved that his mother's opinion of the Seam was baseless. How bad a place could the Seam be if it produced someone like Mari? Or the beautiful huntress that had commandeered his thoughts for the past eleven years?

"Are you sure?" he asked for the hundredth time, wanting to be absolutely sure the girl knew she was leaving a treasure.

He had tasted one of the confections and he had never had anything so decedent. It wasn't as sweet as one of his cakes but the warm fresh beignets were a paradise never known in District 12.

Nemesis laughed at the look of pure heaven on Peeta's face as he ate the dessert, knowing her meemaw would be proud.

"Peet, it's fine. Two dozen is more than enough for the families I want to give these to."

"Why did you make so many then?"

"I wanted to make the most of the oil I used and honestly, coming from a big family I don't really know how to make a 'small batch.' Most things I know how to make are for a big group of people. I guess I could cut the portions but math is hard and exact measurements are for pussies."

Peeta smiled but wasn't sure what the odd girl was talking about or what cats had anything to do with the conversation at hand. He thought it odd that she claimed to have a big family as multiple children were rare in the poor district. His own three child household was out of the ordinary and most Seam children didn't make it out of infancy. He reckoned the only reason why he had so many brothers was due to how well off they were; otherwise most families had one child, two at the most. He supposed that Haymitch Abernathy could have been one of many fathers for her mother's children. It was something his mother had ranted with the utmost disdain, how Seam girl's were getting pregnant before they were out of the Reaping with multiple men. Perhaps Mari's mother was one of these women but Peeta couldn't bring himself to rile himself up about it like his mother.

He realized that Seam life was vastly different than the Merchant's Quarter, who was he to judge?

Nemesis was busy cutting a few leftover beignets into smaller squares, "Bite sized" pieces she called them.

"Now the Peacekeepers are about to do their daily rounds. You stand outside the shop with this plate and give them a sample. If I know the law, then they'll go crazy over these and you'll be able to easily sell the rest."

She wasn't wrong. Soon after she left, he had lured the cadre of Peacekeepers that roamed the streets into his shop after one taste of powdered dessert. They had all raved about the fried confection and all too soon he was sold out of the beignets and no answer to when there would be more.

His mother was baffled at how a Seam brat could make something so beloved. It took her over a week to swallow her pride, order Peeta to ask Mari to come back, and give them the recipe.

**A/N: And here's Peeta! I know Collins specifically stated that Peeta's name is a homonym to pita but I wanted to go another direction. I especially didn't want to give his brothers bread related names, when I get around to introducing them, because it's been done to death I think. I really wanted to give Mrs. Mellark that extra bitch layer by having her preoccupied with the Capitol and its riches. **

**Enjoy!**


	10. Chapter 10

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

Nemesis had found ways to fill in her long days. Between looking after Haymitch, hanging with Katniss and Gale, teaching Prim magic, and the new addition of baking with Peeta she had effectively made the most use of the twenty-one hours in her day when she wasn't sleeping. She was never one to be idle and since becoming a Slayer her insomnia had gotten to the point where she slept only three hours a day, if that. Luckily for her, Slayer stamina allowed for such little sleep.

Prim rarely had as much free time from school and helping her mother in the healer business. Sundays were the best days as people tended to really rest instead of work till exhaustion. Thread's rule was a blessing in disguise as Katniss and Gale no longer hunted outside the fence. Prim was able to nimbly get across with the help of Nemesis' magic, the Slayer diverted the buzzing energy away from the lowest wire and the young blonde girl scurried under. Nemesis on the other hand used her supernatural strength to catapult herself over the fence much to the amazement of Prim.

"Wow, will I be able to do that?" Prim asked the first time Nemesis took her over the fence.

"No, probably not be able to jump," she replied honestly. She revealed that she was a witch but not a Slayer. She felt the need to continue to hide that part of her identity and since monsters seemed to be in hiding, she felt there was no use in telling the young girl about the things that bumped in the night.

"But you might be able to fly one day," she told the despondent girl.

Prim's eyes lit up at the thought of flying. She had always admired birds and their ability to go where they pleased. They were not caged in with electric fences and cruel keepers.

"Honest? I could learn to fly, like a bird?"

"Better than a bird."

Nemesis showed Prim the wonders of magic and how anything was possible. She lifted from the ground as if she were a hovercraft, gravity and the earth held no tethers to her. She yearned to go higher and higher, fly free from the district and be away from the poverty and misery. But she came back down to earth, she had committed to teaching Prim magic and protecting the citizens of District 12.

"Once you get a hang of levitating objects, we'll work on flying…although if you learn it in less than six months I just might hate you forever," Nemesis joked, although she partly felt it might be true if the girl managed to learn flight quicker than she had which was what her current learning curve suggested.

"So what are we doing today?" Prim asked, wanting to get started right away.

"We are going to make some Gervasian tonic."

"What's that do?"

"It's a potion that renders humans unable to process lies."

Prim cocked her eyebrow, not understanding how it worked or why they would make such a concoction.

"Would this have anything to do with those life size figures we made out of all that clay would it?"

"Sort of but not really."

Prim had learned not to think too hard on the random and somewhat incomprehensible thought process of Nemesis. They had gathered in a densely wooded area where they had set up camp a couple weeks ago. A lone small iron pot, Nemesis insisted it was a cauldron because it "sounded way cooler," stood over the blackened ashes of previous fires.

"Light the fire," Nemesis commanded.

Prim promptly stared at the old charred wood, concentrating intently and trying to remember all that she taught her. She felt the slight breeze caress her skin, the moisture in the humid air, the earth beneath her feet. She would take the energy from the world around her to create something new.

Nothing was ever free.

"Ignis incinde," she spoke softly and her simple words held all the power in the world.

The waited a moment to make sure she had done it right. After no freak storm or earthquake, Nemesis smiled at how well Prim was progressing.

"Nice. Perfectly balanced and no bitch slap from Mother Nature. You learn well young Padawan."

The younger blonde smiled and felt the warmth of accomplishment and pride unfurl inside her. It was nice to excel in something, especially after the disastrous attempts at hunting with Katniss. She wasn't cut out to bring in food but she could bend nature to her will. That had to count for something. She only wished she could tell Katniss then maybe her older sister wouldn't treat her like a baby.

She loved Katniss, she really did. She would always be grateful to her for seeing her through their father's death and their mother's crushing sadness. But lately she felt her sister's devotion to be slightly smothering.

Just the other day she had been hanging with Rory, Gale's younger brother, and Katniss had hovered over her the whole time; giving the younger Hawthorne her famous stony eyed stare as if he was planning something untoward. Things had gotten so tense that the teen male had cut their social time together short and dashed home as fast as his awkward gangly self could muster.

Katniss had tried to have some sort of talk with her but grew red and sputtered through the entire thing. Prim would have found it amusing that her sister, who couldn't even be in the same room as a naked person regardless of gender or if they were greatly injured, was trying to have a talk about sex.

"What are you shaking your head at?" Nemesis asked.

Prim realized her face must have given way to her thoughts.

"I'm just thinking of something that happened a couple of days ago."

"Was it Katniss trying to give you the birds and the bees talk?" she asked knowing her friend had been freaking out over Cray's insidious plans for her little sister.

"The what?"

"Birds and bees…you know. Sex talk."

"Birds and bees don't have sex with each other."

Nemesis missed her home, especially in times where the District 12 citizens spoke to her like she was a complete idiot for using colloquialisms common for her time.

"I know **that**. It' just what we call the sex talk where I'm from."

"Why? It doesn't make any sense."

"Yeah I don't think it made sense in my time either, it's just something we said…or maybe it's because bees have stingers and it's supposed to be like a penis…and birds lay eggs and that's supposed to be like our eggs only we don't lay them they stay inside of us…yeah it doesn't make sense. What were we talking about?"

"Katniss trying to talk to me about sex."

"Right, how did that go?"

"It didn't really. She sort of just mumbled and turned really red. I couldn't understand anything she was trying to say. After several false starts she just told me to 'Not let any boy touch me ever' then all but ran outside. I don't even know why she bothers. Usually girls don't get any kind of talk until they get their moon's blood."

It took a minute to translate what Prim was saying and it dawned on Nemesis that the younger blonde girl might not have reached menarche yet. She thought the girl to be the right age but then again the youngest Everdeen weighed very little. The thirteen year old might not have the right amount of body fat yet to get her monthly cycle.

"Do you want to talk? I know I'm not your mom or anything but I'm here to listen," Nemesis offered. She wasn't sure why, Prim didn't seem the type to be interested in boys; at least not at the moment. The younger girl had more important things to worry about and magic to fill her thoughts. Boys were the last thing on her mind because she had different priorities; as it was with most people who had a real talent. But she of all people knew that hormones would have their way and eventually boys, or possibly girls, would peak her interest.

"No, not really. I don't understand why everyone thinks I need to be talked to. I've never even mentioned an interest in a boy," Prim replied slightly frustrated.

"Hey, hey, hey now. I'm not saying you _need_ the talk, I'm asking if you _want _the talk. It's natural to be curious and while a number of the strapping young men in the Seam haven't caught your eye it doesn't mean they never will. I've always thought it's better to be prepared rather than wing it when the time comes."

Prim thought over the older blonde's words, her ire dying down. She didn't want to talk but she did appreciate the offer.

"I…I don't know. I don't think about it really."

"Which is cool…but if you ever do need someone to talk to, I've been around the block a few times and have an open mind."

"Which block?" Prim asked because there were only so many in District Twelve, not that she even really understood the metaphor.

"I mean that I have experiences with boys, much more than your sister despite the hotness that is Gale."

Prim rolled her eyes, she was exasperated by the mooning of another girl who sighed at the thought of her sister's best friend. Romantic relationships seemed to be more trouble and drama than they were worth.

"I'll keep that in mind. Now let's do magic, we're running out of daylight here."

"OK, let's get the show on the road," Nemesis snickered at the girl's eagerness to get the conversation over and onto mystical things.

"This is Lethe's bramble soaked in Mnemosyne's tears. We tear it up into a cauldron of boiling water under the bright yellow rays of the mid-day sun. Drop in a few Honey Calcite and then we chant. Ready?"

Prim nodded eagerly as she wrote down in her little book all the things Nemesis taught her. From a casual glance it looked very much like her father's compendium of herbs and other vegetation. It was a well-worn leather binding with brand new pages compliments of the older girl. The book held cures, potions, and spells that might come in handy to a future healer. It even held a few risqué magics that Nemesis thought was funny to put in and would probably make her sister blush. Prim was slightly tempted to tear out those entries and burn them into oblivion but magic was magic. It felt almost irreverent to destroy anything relating to magic. Plus she figured that she could make a few extra coin with helping the odd couple reignite their desire for each other. It was hard times in District Twelve and she was pragmatic enough to know that there were a vast amount of needs to fulfill.

Nemesis grabbed her hand and she felt a current of energy run through her. That was her favorite part, the rush of magic that flowed through and around her. She was connected to something ancient and pure; she had a power that only one other person held. She concentrated on giving that power to her coven sister, willing the energy to flow from her to Nemesis.

The magic was palatable and dense in the air around them. Even Nemesis' voice deepened and resounded with magic.

_Gervais, heed my call. Let no one who drinks of your tonic know lie from truth; truth from lie. Let our words be law. Let their ears only know the ring of truth."_

The water turned and frothed at her words, changing at her will. The liquid burned a deep sunset yellow and turned thicker. Steam billowed until it clouded their eyes. After a few moments of chanting the spell was done.

They gave the potion a chance to cool and bottled it in brown apothecary bottles with glass drippers. They were expensive and Nemesis was glad that Haymitch "paid" her so well. She really appreciated her time for mass production and bulk stores. They were able to fill several bottles and she knew she'd be in stock for many months if not the year. She got a little depressed that she might need it for that long and that she might never get home. Part of her didn't want to go home, realizing that perhaps Chloe was right. She did like it in District 12, mostly because she knew they needed her more than her time with so many other Slayers.

"So what do we do now?" Prim asked as they cleaned up.

"_We_ don't do anything. I'm going to the Peacekeeper's water tower, douche bags that have their own clean water while others have to break their back getting it from a well, and then will spike it with the potion. You bring the other bottles to your house and hide them under the floor board with your other supplies."

Prim frowned; she wanted to go with Nemesis and continue to help. But then she thought about the high water tower with no latter or conceivable way to get to the top normally. The Peacekeeper's knew they were not well liked in the district and kept their precious water supply inaccessible to the general public. With Nemesis' ability to fly and impressive jumping ability, the older girl was more equipped for the job. She knew she just needed to bide her time before she could do the former. She was determined to learn everything she could.

* * *

><p>After Nemesis "enhanced" the Peacekeeper's drinking water she headed over to the Hawthorn's because she wanted to visit Gale and Katniss. She found the two of them stretching on the floor, doing the yoga exercises she taught them. It was good for Gale's still healing back; the muscles had atrophied during the weeks of inactivity. Lucky for him magics had been involved and he healed quicker than usual and probably a lot less damage than it could have been. Having been an active Slayer for over a year and with the Organization for six, she had seen her fair share of battle wounds and the rare scar. She didn't flinch at Gale's scored back, pink and sensitive, but he quickly put on his shirt when he saw her come into the house.<p>

"Dude, you don't need to be shy," Nemesis said to relive him of his insecurity and she also wanted him to keep his shirt off. His back might be a mess but the rest of him was still lick worthy.

"Yeah right, they look awful," he said gruffly. He was never one to be vain but he did feel the ugly scarring was a permanent mark of the Capitol; he was disgusted with it so he didn't want to think of what females thought of it.

"No really, it's totally badass."

Gale rolled his eyes, still not believing her and over the weeks he had begun to understand her strange lingo. At first he didn't understand what a misbehaving donkey had to do with anything but in her mind it meant something that was worthy of praise. He scoffed and she was determined to make him see that the scars were nothing to be ashamed of.

"Dude come on. Scars tell a story and yours is one of survival. Everyone knows you only broke the law to help feed your family. There's no greater deed than that. I think the scars show you are a male of worth, someone who's willing to do whatever it takes to take care of your blood and take the consequences. Here look, I have scars too and they aren't for nearly as good a reason as you."

Nemesis lifted her long sleeve linen shirt, courtesy of Haymitch. It wasn't anything fancy but it would do and kept in her cover of being from the Seam. When she was pretending to be Madge, the people from the poorer side of the district assumed she didn't want to dirty her expensive clothes. They did appreciate her business when she bought from them. The Slayer suffered in the sweltering heat as the seasons decided to skip Spring and dive into an early Summer, having long sleeves didn't help; but she couldn't risk showing her tattoos. Literally no one else in District 12, even the Peacekeepers, had any so it would definitely raise some eyebrows if they saw hers.

She was in nothing but the sports bra she had on when she came there as she showed him the scar that ran the side of her ribcage. It was a shiny dark pink, almost red jagged line that looked like someone took a crooked knife and sliced upwards. Both Katniss and Gale looked closer at the mark, stark against the girl's light skin.

"What happened?" Katniss asked not affronted at Nemesis' show of skin, she had gotten used to the semi to full nudity the blonde girl liked to parade around in.

The two had a better rapport after the Slayer presented the huntress with the confectionary.

_Katniss had never tasted anything like the baked goods Nemesis brought; a highly sweet but not cloying confection that melted in mouth. It was a fatty delicious food that she didn't know her body craved until she ate one. She knew it was a decadent and wasteful treat as oil was precious and few could afford even a third of what was used to make them but she didn't pay for it and it was a gift; it was rude to refuse a gift._

_She also felt better that the blonde girl brought plenty to share with her and Gale's family. Odds knew that they needed the extra sustenance and the children really enjoyed the treats. _

"_Why?" she asked, never fully trusting anything that was just handed to her. _

"_Because I owe you an apology and in the great tradition of being Italian, I only really know how to express anything is through food. Being sorry is expressed through fried foods. Happiness and celebration through cake, mourning and consolation through casseroles, and every other occasion depend on the holiday."_

_Katniss wondered where Nemesis could be from that food was so plentiful that her world basically revolved around it and celebrated it. In District 12 their day revolved around food but only to find it and hope for the next meal. _

"_I didn't fully realize exactly how much danger you and Gale put yourself in to save Chloe and me…"she went on to explain. "And I owe you an apology for taking it for granted. With Thread and everything…I get why you were so cautious and basically I'm sorry for being an ass."_

_The huntress considered the other girl's words. Say what she would about Nemesis, the girl was kind and generous underneath her bawdy and wild exterior. _

"Let's just say others are not as patient or dismissive of my quirky behavior," Nemesis explained. She tried to keep as vague as possible because she couldn't think of a plausible explanation that didn't involve "a demon with a mystical athame shanked my ass."

Thankfully both Katniss and Gale believed Nemesis' obnoxious conduct warranted such drastic reaction and left it at her word.

Seeing her own scar gave Gale a little bit of courage. If a girl could be confident and not care about her own scar then he could be as well. While Nemesis was rude and propositioned him more than a dozen times, sometimes in the same day, she had a way with speaking that was comforting.

"OK, let's work out a bit. You need it Gale, you're getting a little round in the tummy," she teased as she pinched the barely noticeable layer of fat that had grown on his midsection."

He laughed and slapped her hand away.

"It's your fault, you know. You keep bringing us your icing failures and leftovers from the baker."

"Failures my ass. I totally nail each and every design I've done," she said fictitiously, knowing damn well her designs were kindergarten finger-paints compared to the artistry of Peeta's. She didn't mind though, she did it for fun and to have an excuse to hang with the baker's son, not because she had any ambition of being the next Cake Boss.

He was referring to her weekly offerings of wilted flower designs in icing. In exchange for her recipes she took payment in the form of decorating lessons from the youngest son. Gale had not had a lot of contact with the boy and he had seen him look a little too long at Katniss so any distraction from his best friend was welcomed. He thought icing was a useless skill and it more often than not enraged him that something so frivolous cost so much while people died of starvation. Still he did not turn away the free desserts whenever Nemesis brought it to Sunday dinners.

He didn't want to dwell on it so he got out of his restricting shirt and all three continued to do the stretching exercise.

Katniss rather enjoyed the work out Nemesis dubbed "yoga." It was relaxing, she became more flexible, and she was able to calm her mind. She wasn't plagued with worry over food or her sister. She was able to just empty her mind and focus on the movement of her body. It wasn't the only workout Nemesis taught them.

She also taught them something call "T'ai Chi." It was a disciplined form of moving and breathing. It was harder than it looked but Katniss appreciated the challenge of the precise movements.

As they moved to only the sound of nature outside, Katniss noticed Nemesis had many more tattoos than just on her wrists. She had massive black wings etched with silver spanning her back. The feathers were excellently detailed and made bolder by the shimmering silvery outlines. They seemed to almost grow out of her shoulder blades and cascaded down past her hips. The huntress didn't understand the point of tattoos, permanent fashion accessories and nothing more. There was also a stylized eye on the back of the blonde's neck and on more than one occasion, she had offered to show them markings that "couldn't be shown in public" while winking lewdly. She knew the other girl had desires for her best friend and somewhere deep down that bothered her. She couldn't, more like outright refused to, explore it further but it did relieve her more than it ought to that Gale seemed to not reciprocate the feelings.

"Nem," Katniss started with the familiar nickname, finally feeling comfortable enough around her to address her as such. "Why wing tattoos?"

The grey eyed girl was genuinely curious as to why Nemesis got the tattoo. It wasn't something most people would see as it required far less clothing than what was socially acceptable, even by Capitol standards. It seemed almost for fashion but it was so perfectly executed that it had to have been done with the utmost care and meticulousness. It was a work of art really; she felt that if she reached out she could pull a real feather from the girl's back.

Nemesis wasn't surprised by the question, her exotic marking rare; even for the fickle Capitol it seemed. Again she found herself struggling to explain something without outright lying. The wings were so much more than a tattoo on her back but she couldn't explain it without revealing herself.

"I got them when I was thirteen. Chalk it up to being young, dumb, and out of control. Be glad you're sister is much smarter than I was at her age."

Katniss was grateful that Prim had a good head on her shoulders and not just compared to Nemesis. Her younger sister was vastly more mature than her peers and most girls in the Seam and Merchant Quarter in general. She had tried to give Prim "the talk" but had failed miserably. Thankfully the younger Everdeen didn't really need the talk, she had been busy helping their mother and hanging out with Nemesis. At first she was alarmed and a little bit jealous at their recent closeness. She worried the older blonde would be a bad influence but it seemed Prim was more confident than ever under the wing of Nemesis. Primrose would always be her sister and nothing could change that.

They had finished their routine in about half an hour. While it was slow controlled movements, it was more of a work out that Katniss had ever expected. She felt limber and loose and Gale was in the same mood. She was beyond relieved that he could go back to work soon and even more so that he didn't have to participate in the Quarter Quell or any game anymore due to his age.

Normally she would keep sarcastic quips degrading the Capitol to herself, that was Gale's job, but she couldn't help herself for some mysterious reason that afternoon when Nemesis commented on his great progress.

"He'll fully heal just in time for the Reaping. Good thing you're too old Gale, I bet the Capitol would have loved to put in poacher."

Gale raised his eyebrow, the dark humor was not like Katniss but he couldn't help but agree that he was lucky. The whipping was painful beyond anything he's ever felt before but it could have happened at a much more inopportune time.

"Maybe you shouldn't speak too soon Catnip. They haven't announced the rule for the Quarter Quell and won't until the Reaping. Who knows what fucked up rule they could impose."

Katniss grew dark at the suggestion and worry washed over her three-fold. He was right; they normally announce the rule well in advanced of the Reaping. The Gamemakers keeping it a secret could only mean they wanted them more scared than usual. Supposedly the rules were made at the start of the Games and had special ones for the special Quarter Quell, enough for several of them. The first Gamemakers had planned for the games to go on for centuries. Despair ate at the pit of her stomach at the thought of the Games going on for that long. Over a thousand children have already lost their lives, how many more would suffer?

Nemesis was slightly happy her vernacular was catching on but the mention of the Reaping reminded her of the question she had since she first heard of it and finally remembered to ask.

"Yeah by the way, what is the Reaping?"

Katniss and Gale froze, unbelieving that Nemesis didn't know. They both knew that she wasn't from Panem, Katniss had told Gale to give him a heads up, but she had to be so far away that she hadn't even heard of the Hunger Games. It was an unfathomable thought as their whole world revolved around the sadistic tournament. There was a world beyond Panem and it was just as frightful a thought as the Games. There was possibly a world that did not know such horror and it was terrifying that the Capitol had such power to keep it from everyone.

Katniss had learned not to question what Nemesis didn't know. The girl was ignorant of their ways and life; time and again she had proven that.

Nemesis was an energetic kind of person, unable to sit still for more than a minute. It had gotten worse when she was Called, she had so much power that she couldn't help but shake her knee or tap her hand when she had to stand still. She needed to get rid of her excess energy no matter how small the task.

As Katniss and Gale explained the Reaping and the Hunger Games, from the Dark Days to the Treaty of Treason, every fiber of her being was still as stone. Her breathing became shallow and her vision started to tunnel as they explained the rules, fanfare, and tradition of the death match. One thousand, seven hundred and twenty six children died for a cruel game and for the amusement of the bourgeoisie under the guise of repentance for a war no one alive that day could even remember. Even more would die in the Games to come.

It was expected.

It was accepted.

It was their normal.

After they were done explaining the nightmare they had to live every year, they weren't sure what to make of Nemesis. The normally cheerful and loquacious girl was silent. Eerily silent and seemed to be staring at nothing. The house was perfectly still; the only noise was a coming storm. The sky suddenly became dark and ominous clouds appeared without warning. White lightening crackled from the thick billows, Katniss and Gale started to worry. They all started to leave, the two District 12 citizens wanting to find their families and brace for the freak storm.

Nemesis had someone to find and she had a few choice words for her.

"Where are you going?" Katniss asked as the blonde headed towards the woods.

Nemesis turned and Katniss did a double take. She was certain the other girl's eyes were as black as the coal they mined but told herself it had to be trick of the darkening sky.

"I need to find Chloe," Nemesis replied, her voice trembling and almost echoing within her.

Katniss instinctively took a step back as she would from a predator in the woods. It was the same feeling she got when Nemesis told her she had "taken care" of Cray. She worried for Chloe and wondered what made Nemesis so angry. But she didn't have time for it, the storm would break any moment and she needed to take care of her sister.

* * *

><p>Chloe knelt in a field well beyond the border of District 12. She was gathering herbs for Mrs. Everdeen, herbs found too far for a regular person to gather and get back the same day. She was glad to help but a bit bored by the tedious chore. She wished the Hob hadn't burned down otherwise she could have stayed in District 12 and read. She was able to room with Nemesis but the other Slayer made it very difficult to live with. It didn't help that she was in constant fear the owner of the house would find her, drunkard or not. So she opted to spend a lot of her time outside hunting or gathering, whichever was needed at the time.<p>

She saw the clouds suddenly gather and felt a storm was looming. She got up and gathered her things when suddenly she was airborne.

She didn't have time to think as the ground fell away from her and she held tight the being that thrust her into the sky. She was well above the trees, screaming and thrashing before she got her wits about her. When she finally focused on what was keeping her aloft, she stared into pitch black eyes and the face of a very angry wiccan Catholic.

"The Hunger Games are like the Olympics?" Nemesis echoed Chloe's first explanation, infuriated beyond any words.

Chloe swallowed hard and knew that moment would come sooner or later. She looked away from the flying Slayer but only enraged her more.

The blonde Slayer flew them to the nearest tree; the impact cracked several layers and imprinted Chloe's form into its bark. The force might have killed a normal person but merely knocked the wind out of her.

The brunette Slayer was in survival mode and with all her might kicked Nemesis off of her. She went flying while Chloe fell to the earth. Transient memories of past Slayers kicked her instinct into high gear as she used her momentum to bounce off from branch to branch, only a few cuts marred her skin as she made her way to safety.

It had started to rain shortly after the start of the flight, a tempest raged around them as Nemesis' fury fed the squall.

She landed with a hard wet thud but it wasn't enough to do any long term damage. Chloe began to run towards the District, hoping Nemesis couldn't find her in the woods.

She was not so lucky because the enraged Slayer easily found her and gave up flying in lieu of fighting her hand to hand. Chloe could tell Nemesis was tired from the strain of flight and she was also certain she had done magics earlier that afternoon. Nemesis was not at her full strength and wasn't thinking clearly through all the anger. It was probably the only reason Chloe was still breathing.

Chloe fought her off as best as she could but Nemesis quickly gained the upper hand, the fight finally ended with a pop of her arm and she screamed out from the pain of the broken bone.

"Nemesis you need to stop!" Chloe wailed and curled into herself, hoping that showing she had surrendered would stop the livid girl.

Nemesis came enough to her senses to realize she had done enough damage but too angry to forgive her.

"You know, I used to think you were just this Type A bitch with a stick up her ass the size of California. That deep down you were a good Slayer and that we just weren't meant to be friends. I thought that no person who fought the fight could truly be bad, just could be annoying as all fuck. But purposefully keeping something as sick as the fucking Hunger Games from me?! That's an all-time low."

"I had to keep it from you. You were already distracted from getting us home, knowing there was something like the Games out there would have…"

"Would have what? Stopped me from trying to get home and help them? Well you're fucking right it would have! There is a grave yard filled with children. CHILDREN, CHLOE! And not just because of starvation but because some sick fuck who rules this country thinks it is good sport to have them murder each other."

"This isn't our fight Nemesis!" Chloe finally found the strength to fight back. She would not be condemned for doing what was needed to get home. District 12 was not their home and its citizens were not their people. They fought monsters and demons. It wasn't any of their business how a country was run.

"It's a civilian problem that needs to be solved by civilians. We fight demons and vampires. I didn't want you to get sidetracked trying to play hero."

"Are you fucking kidding me?! Are you seriously that cold and selfish? Ever think we were **meant **to come here?! We got here through mystical means. We aren't born citizens that were newly awakened to fight a growing vampire problem. There aren't any vampires if you hadn't noticed. You of all people should know there is a guiding higher power and nothing happens by accident. And playing hero? Forget about being a Slayer, how about being a decent human being? Huh? If you can honestly stand aside while evil happens then you don't deserve to be called a Slayer."

Rage overtook all rational thought at Chloe's admission; Nemesis could not ignore the anger in her blood or the pain in her back. Chloe had to pay a price and it was Nemesis' job to deal out justice. It had been her job since she was thirteen.

With a quick and well placed kick, she broke Chloe's ankle and the other Slayer barked out a wail of pain.

The pain in her back subsided but it was still an ache the ghosted through her spine, urging her to meet out justice that were in the works but had not come to fruition. Chloe was not the only one who needed to pay the price for their grave misdeeds.

Seeing how pathetic her sister Slayer lay on the ground and crying, most of her anger dissipated and her blood no longer cried out for justice.

Chloe remained quiet; she was in a lot of pain and knew she was in the wrong. She had put her needs above the good of others, before the lives of children and she felt deeply ashamed. Nothing she could say would appease the other Slayer and there wasn't anything she could do at the moment other than hope Nemesis was done.

The blonde Slayer was done. She was done with Chloe and would not tolerate her presence any longer.

"There's a little over a month left until the Reaping. I'm going to do something about it and you can do whatever you want. Find your own way home because I will not turn my back on these people. You are no longer welcome at Hay's; find your own place to sleep."

Nemesis was suddenly very tired and had no more fight left in her. She turned away and headed back to the district.

Panic rose inside of Chloe as she knew she was helpless until her ankle healed which could take all night. She also knew she would never be able to find her way back to her time without Nemesis' help.

"Wait! I can't do this without you!" Chloe shouted at Nemesis' retreating back.

Nemesis stopped but she would not be moved by Chloe's pleas.

"Now you know what it feels like when some who could help you purposefully doesn't and turns their back on you. Fuck you Chloe," she replied coldly and took to the sky again.

Chloe was left out in the woods with no one to help her.

No one that could hear her cries or entreaties for help. She was completely and utterly alone in a world that didn't care.

She got a taste of what every scared Tribute ever felt in the heart of the Games.

**A/N: Sorry for the delay guys! Cosplay has taken up a lot of my time but it turned out awesome and Otakon was a blast!**

**Hope you like the chapter and as a gift, two chapters!**

**Enjoy!**


	11. Chapter 11

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to Beta.**

Head Peacekeeper Thread called the entire district to the Town Square for an important announcement. He stood rigid, as if he were made of stone, on the tallest step of the Justice Building. His top officers were steps below him, all looking the same way: completely severe and firm. The underlings weren't even looking at the townspeople. They stared dead eyed straight ahead of them, unseeing and empty.

There was something very unsettling about the Peacekeepers and no one from the Seam or the Merchant Quarter could figure out what was wrong. Other than their odd rigidity, they looked perfectly normal but the goose bumps that rose on their skin when they looked at them told them otherwise. Citizens of District 12 were still milling in but all the while, the top Peacekeepers stood perfectly and uniformly still.

The manager of the saw mill studied them for a moment, waiting for the announcement. He had seen many Peacekeepers come and go but nothing like the ones that stood before him. There was something about their eyes, they set off an internal alarm within him and he quickly looked away. He needed to look at something other than the fathomless eyes. Their emptiness twisted something in his gut; something told him there was something unnatural and wrong about the Peacekeepers. He had met with one of them the other day about potential timber theft and besides the typical malicious gleam there wasn't anything out of the ordinary with the Peacekeeper. But that day, there was something terribly wrong with them and the entire town could feel it tremble under their skin.

Katniss and Gale stood off to the side with their respective families. Nemesis and Chloe were nowhere to be found, not that they had seen the latter in the last few days or even should be at the event. The hunters knew the two girls were having some kind of spat. Nemesis wouldn't talk about it but they knew something was going on; it was hard to miss the death stares the blonde gave the other girl. They decided they had more things to worry about than a row between two outsiders and kept out of it.

The town had finally gathered in the square and all waited for Thread to begin his proclamation.

A microphone was placed in front of and he finally spoke,

"Due to the vast amount of energy used by the electric fences, I have decided to cease the twenty-four hour operation. In the past the fence had served District 12 well when not electrified and I believe anyone who would pouch…knows better."

They all knew it was a direct statement towards Gale but Thread moved nothing but his mouth. His voice was steady and unchanging throughout his speech. It seemed as if he was programed to one neutral setting, the townspeople felt as if he were no longer human.

"Peacekeepers will be patrolling with the same vigilance as usual and will turn on the fence on an as needed basis. I urge citizens to report any suspicious activity. That is all and you are dismissed."

In one fluid motion, Head Peacekeeper Thread and the top officials simultaneously left the stairs and went to their respective posts. The citizens found the synchronicity odd but rationalized it to Thread's tyrannical leadership.

Katniss and Gale were slightly bewildered at the turn of events. Thread had made such a showcase of keeping the fence functioning. The Head Peacekeeper made a show of all the changes he had made to the district but in the following days it seemed as if his efforts were for naught. The stocks and whipping post hadn't been used for a couple of days, a record since Thread's reign began. Both Katniss and Gale were suspicious and did not venture out of the district for the first few days. They checked the fence in the meantime and to his word, the fence was not on. They also noticed the regular Peacekeepers had a sort of glazed look to their eyes. They were still everywhere but it seemed as if they couldn't quite focus completely at the task at hand.

After the third day, Gale and Katniss could no longer resist temptation and ventured out into the woods. The sense of freedom and openness only the forest could provide was welcomed. The anxiety and tension was relieved when they shot their first kill and brought it back home without incident. The new black market was open for business, an abandoned watch post at the furthest end of the district, and the Seam was happy to have fresh meat again.

They still had the Hunger Games and its unknown twist to worry about but for the moment they could breathe easy knowing they could provide for their families again.

* * *

><p>Beyond the far opposite end of the district, Nemesis stood beside a small river, holding a cage squirming with life. The river was teaming with fish, bountiful with the coming of summer. She was silent with a somber look on her face when Prim found her.<p>

The young blonde girl was given a task by the Slayer earlier that morning. She was to escape past the fence by herself and find Nemesis using her wits and powers. She had been given the hint that her teacher would be near water and she used the knowledge that had been bestowed upon her in the past week. Prim was to extend her senses to find what she was looking for. At first she was puzzled where to start in the first place but did what Nemesis told her to do in times of stress, she breathed in deep and emptied her mind. Magic was unpredictable by nature, more so when the mind was troubled. She knelt down to the earth and connected to its power. The energy freely flowed from her and it returned the power in kind. She felt connected to everything around her, one big chain binding them all together. Most were unaware of such a link and she felt sorry for those who would never feel it.

Prim soon realized that she could sense the running water several meters away and a strong concentration of power right next to it. She knew it had to be Nemesis and bounded towards her.

A bright grin split on her face, incredibly happy she was able to find her.

Nemesis gave a small smile to the youngest Everdeen, happy that she was growing into her own but sad of what was to come.

Prim noticed the older girl had a cage, upon closer inspection it held six or so rats. All black with shiny fur and beady eyes; eating greedily at the cheese provided. She recognized one rat as Mayor McCheese, Nemesis' pet rat that she's had for a while by its slightly graying fur. The others she was not sure where she would have gotten them or why anyone would keep them as pets.

"Prim, you know the markings on my back?" Nemesis asked quietly, enjoying the sound of the gurgling brook.

"The bird wing tattoos?" Prim asked to clarify because she was aware of more than one tattoo on the older girl.

"They aren't tattoos. They're a mark of devotion."

Prim wasn't sure why Nemesis was telling her so she remained quiet so she could speak.

"I started my magic training at thirteen. I was very excited that I had a natural talent at magic. Not only was I living out my Harry Potter dream but I felt it was another good skill to have; it could only make me stronger. When I formally began my training I noticed I wasn't progressing like the others."

"_There are others?_" Prim thought excitedly to herself. Nemesis had told her that witches were stronger in covens and she desperately wanted to be as strong as she could be. She could do so much good with more power. She remained silent because she knew that the older blonde would tell her about her past life in her own time.

"I quickly got frustrated and down about my development. I felt like I was the dunce of the magic group and useless. So one night I decided I would get more powerful, damn the costs. So I devoted myself to a goddess…it was probably the biggest mistake of my life. Besides the really bad perm I got when I was fifteen. Anyway, the power boost came with a price. I was marked and bound. Now I'm compelled to meet out justice to those who succumb to hubris."

"Hubris?"

"It's excessive pride, particularly before the gods. The Peacekeepers are especially prone to it. I trained to ignore it in most cases as most mean no harm. But the Peacekeepers, specifically the high ranking ones, have gone far enough that I can't ignore the call for divine retribution."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because this is another lesson. That not only do your actions have costs but so do the choices you make. The consequences aren't always immediate and done with. Sometimes they have a life of its own follow you til death. Sometimes even after death."

Prim didn't argue or ask further, the look on Nemesis' face and the somber tone of her voice told her everything.

"The grey rat is Cray, the others Thread and his goons."

Prim's jaw dropped at the revelation. Her mind was pushed further and further with each new lesson. She seemed to always be amazed at how far magic could go, how limitless the possibilities.

"At first I was going to keep them in this form, let them live out the rest of their lives as helpless pets. Recently, though, that life seems too cushy and good for them."

Nemesis stretched out her arms and held the cage above the river, immediately Prim knew her intent to drown the contents of the crate.

"No!" she shouted not wanting Nemesis to end their life.

"No? You know Cray had designs for you right?"

Prim suddenly felt sick, her fears of the former Head's eyes that roamed her body and what it meant were affirmed.

"You think Thread deserves the cushy life of a pet? Fed every day and kept safe in a cage? A man who didn't blink an eye to torturing your friend and leaving him to die?"

She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say, everything Nemesis was saying was true.

"How about Abraxis, Quintus, and Polonius? You think they're right for what they did to those two boys?"

"NO!" she exclaimed vehemently and tears were pouring down her face. Why was Nemesis doing this to her? She remembered vividly what Thread's three favored Peacekeepers did to Shale Ackers and Peat Moser, two boys not even out of Reaping age caught doing "disgraceful acts against the Capitol." She had been with her mother in the Merchant Quarter, bartering herbal remedies for supplies when the three brought the two naked and severely beaten boys to the middle of town. Normally law breakers were taken straight to the stocks or the Justice Building but they wanted to make an example of the two so they brought them to the most public area.

"_Here we have two deevs, two disgusting soddies that would dare do their filthy acts in your district," Abraxis sneered at them and said to the crowd. His two compatriots had identical looks of repulsion but laughed when the quivering boys were kicked in the ribs._

_The Head had come to see what the commotion was about and Prim feared another horrible lashing like Gale had received. Thread had not lifted a finger, only slightly nodded to Quintus. The Peacekeeper knew the unspoken order and took out his auto, pressed it point blank to Shale's temple and pulled the trigger. Peat had let out a tortured wail and embraced his dead lover. He raised his head defiantly to the Peacekeeper, hate in his eyes. Prim wasn't sure how she knew but she knew that the boy was ready to die. He didn't want to live in a world without Shale. _

_Polonius wasn't about to let the others have all the fun, so he took it upon himself to end the life of Peat. The boy slumped down over his dead lover and it was the end of it._

_Prim was horrified but not because they had dared to love the same sex, she was horrified that such love was condemned. She knew the two, both from the Seam and good boys. They helped around when they could and were very hard workers in the mines. They each had a ready smile for anyone that passed them by and she didn't understand why the Capitol hated their kind so much. _

_The crowd had dissipated and no one knew what to do with the bodies. Their families were afraid to collect the bodies and the Peacekeepers didn't care, they only wanted their message to be heard loud and clear: "You will follow our ways or die."_

_Sometime in the middle of the night, someone had collected the bodies. There were two fresh graves dug and covered with wild flowers. The Peacekeepers were unaware since they never ventured to that part of the district. The boys families were give wreaths of flowers with condolences and food to last them for a couple of days. Prim knew it had to be Nemesis as the funeral rites were not typical of anyone in the Seam. _

No, Prim did not think that the Peacekeepers deserved to live out their life in a cage but she couldn't bring herself to kill them either.

"Killing is never right," Prim said when she finally found her voice. She didn't know what to do with them but she knew that deep down and without hesitance that taking someone's life was wrong.

"What about the Hunger Games?" Nemesis countered. "They force children to kill one another. What do you do if there is no choice?"

"The Hunger Games are a monstrosity."

There, she had said what she always thought but never gave a voice to; what she knew that everyone knew but didn't say. She felt a tension release from her shoulders and inexplicably free from a constraint she didn't know the Capitol had imposed upon her. It was a truth that everyone knew, something so simple but profound.

The Hunger Games were wrong. What the Capitol was doing to them was wrong and no matter how much they said it was for honor or glory they were lying. It was all one huge lie that everyone could see but turned away from out of fear.

Prim was done being afraid.

"What they do to us is wrong and I don't want to be anything like them. What they make us do is wrong and they make us as bad as them," Prim said with more confidence than she had with anything else.

"Even with everything they've done. What they could do in the future, you would show them mercy?"

"Not mercy, I'm doing the right thing. Doing the right thing doesn't always seem like the logical thing to do or even feel right but I know that killing them won't do anything but make me a monster too."

Nemesis breathed out, relived that the pain in her back was no longer there. Prim didn't want the kind of justice the goddess would normally deal out and therefore wasn't her place to do so.

The Slayer knew she was right in choosing Prim as an apprentice. The girl was able to say no where others would have said yes without hesitation or a hint of remorse. As a Slayer she knew she had an unfair advantage and dealing the death penalty was not her place, especially in the non-supernatural areas.

The world had people like Primrose Everdeen in it and it was worth protecting.

"I won't kill them," Nemesis promised as she backed away from the river. She knelt to the crying girl and became eye level. "You're a good soul Prim."

"Soul?" the younger girl sniffled.

"It's the immortal part of all that we are. When we die, our soul lives on."

"We can live on after death?"

The idea comforted Prim, thinking of her late father.

"Although things change, nothing ever truly perishes. Go home, your sister is probably looking for you."

"So you're not going to kill them?" Prim asked, wanting to be sure.

"I won't kill them, I swear."

The youngest Everdeen was satisfied as she knew Nemesis was a person of her word. She headed back towards the district and once she was out of sight, the Slayer opened the cage and unceremoniously dumped its contents.

The rodents scurried along the creek and all went to different directions, never to be seen again.

"I might not kill you but I'm sure as hell not going take care of you. Have fun living in a world with as much mercy as you've shown others mother fuckers."

She tossed the cage aside and headed towards the bakery, she had cakes to ice terribly and a very good looking baker's son to keep company.

**A/N: Short chapter but good for character development. **

**I want to give a shout out to Wandering Eye, I haven't let the story die but do to the unfortunate circumstances of being an adult, yuck, chapter updates are feast or famine. I hope you guys understand and thanks for the continued support. **

**Thanks to everyone that reviews, favorites, and follows!**

**Announcement: The winner of the cover art contest is….NO ONE! Because no one submitted any artwork. lol If there is anyone who would like to do artwork for this or any of my stories, feel free to PM me and we'll work something out. **


	12. Chapter 12

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own.**

It was the middle of May in District 12. They had some balmy early summer weather but every now and again they would have a perfect spring day. The humidity was low, the sun was shining, and a cool breeze graced them when it got too hot. It was a nice day despite the tension that weighed on everyone's mind. The Reaping was in a couple of weeks and no one could enjoy such nice weather when it could be their last.

Peeta noticed a change in his new friend. Mari was not quite the bawdy playful type he had grown fond of. She still made inappropriate jokes and sang silly songs he had never heard of but it seemed superficial to him. It was as if she were going through the motions and trying to be her normal self. Her smile, more like lascivious smirks, didn't reach her eyes and he knew something was off. She never approached a subject seriously so he knew it'd be pointless to ask. He assumed that it had something to do with the Reaping. The Hunger Games could put anyone in a dark mood he supposed. Being the son of the baker meant that he never had to take out tesserae, even in desperate times when the price of Capitol flour went up and oil was scarce, they always managed to get by. He and his brothers had the lowest possible entries; his eldest sibling hadn't been eligible for the Games for years. Six ballots among thousands seemed like an impossible chance but he knew better. Both tributes last year had been from the Merchant Quarter, no one was completely safe. He looked sadly at Mari, wondering how many pieces of paper held her name. Did she take out tesserae to help feed her family? She mentioned she had many brothers; she seemed the type to take out the precious flour and oil to only forbid her siblings from taking any. Much like a certain beautiful grey eyed huntress he favored.

The last tributes were from the rich part of town but historically tributes where overwhelmingly from the the Seam.

No one was safe from the Reaping but some were safer than others.

Peeta was happy to make the delivery with Mari, any excuse to get out of the bakery for a bit. The girl had been a bit of a favorable odds send, the bakery doing better than ever. The Peacekeepers had gotten especially lax with their money, enjoying the exotic sweets the blonde Seam girl taught him at every turn. His mother was more relaxed than she had been in ages, money soothing her temper although she did still resent the help from someone not from their social level.

He wondered how resentful she'd be once the recipes stopped coming if Mari was chosen.

They had arrived at their destination, the shoemaker's shop. Like most of the merchants, they had their apartment above their place of work. So Mari and Peeta went through the back way where they wouldn't interrupt business and would be let straight up to the living quarters. Nothing was brand new in District 12, not even Victor's Village. The houses were in pristine condition but since they seldom had a winner, only two since the beginning of the Games, the Capitol felt no need to update the accommodations. They merely did yearly upkeep but they were still grander than what the richest citizens had. The two bakers had approached the brick building and knocked on the rusting door, soon they heard the footsteps of an excited Delly Cartwright who swung open the door and had a bright smile on her face to greet them.

"Hi guys! I mean, bonjour mademoiselle Marie, bonjour Pierre. S'il vous plait venez po."The curvaceous blonde had taken to joining them in their baking lessons, enjoying the free tastings and beautiful language. The shoemaker's daughter was ravenous for something new and exciting. Mari had taught them baking methods and traditions they had never dreamed of, they had no idea the Seam was teaming with such a rich and diverse secret culture.

"Bonjour Dahlia, merci beaucoup," Peeta responded with the perfect French accent. He was a natural at the language and Nemesis suspected he had the blood of the Acadians. He had the classic French good looks and romantic to boot. If Nemesis didn't know any better, she swore he had the gift of charmspeak. But no magic flowed through his veins but if it came down to it, she was sure she could awaken the gift within him. Magic was not something she taught to just anyone and while the blond baker's son was charismatic and very good looking that didn't mean she was going to open a world of power to him. She had lucked out with Prim, she wasn't about to tempt fate.

"What dessert do you have for us this week Mari?" Delly asked excitedly from the baker's box Peeta carried. The Cartwrights were one of the only families that could afford desserts each week, they held special status within the community and everyone was aching to get in on one of their social dinners.

"It's käsekuchen, the Everdeen's had a lot of milk this week so I had the youngest make me a lot of the soft cheese. It's more like a custard pie than it is a cake but some people call it cheesecake," she explained.

Peeta's ears perked up at the mention of the Everdeens and desperately wanted Mari to keep talking, give him any information or hint about the eldest girl he longed for.

Delly twittered with excitement, not only did it sound delicious but it was very exotic. Everything Mari made seemed so glamorous compared to the standards cakes they were used to. She politely invited them upstairs and for a cold drink. The Cartwrights where much more accommodating than the Mellarks, that was for sure. Nemesis had been to the bakery several times and was never once invited to the apartment above. Mrs. Mellark's hospitality towards the bastard Seam child only went so far as her place of work and as long as Mari produced coin. Otherwise the baker's wife held no love for her and would not allow her in her presence more than was needed for business.

Nemesis liked the Cartwright's home, it felt cozy and welcoming. There was shoe making tools strewn about and even decorative items based on foot ware. She eyed a lamp made from a suede stiletto and wondered why it wasn't an actual shoe that she could wear.

"That's one of daddy's shoes he made for the former Capitol escort, Pinkie Mycroft. She wore it once and then threw it away when she sweated in it. Took daddy a whole two weeks to get it so high and to their standards. They wear things once and then throw it away," Delly explained when she noticed her friend admiring the lamp and shook her head slightly at the waste. Nemesis had never met anyone from the Capitol but she hated them already. They practiced yearly death tournaments **and **wasted perfectly good high heels? They were not people to be liked.

"Well it was a perfectly crafted shoe that is now an even better lamp," Peeta said with his megawatt smile. He seemed to always know how to work the room.

He had placed the dessert on a decorative plate and iced a beautiful yellow sunflower onto the top of the cake. It would be the centerpiece at the important dinner between the shoemaker and the tanner. Mr. Cartwright liked to keep his networking flowing smoothly so he was apt to keep the leather maker happy. Without leather, his business would fall under.

Mari brought her own decorative gift, a bundle of dried purple flowers and an art canvas with intricate designs graced a wall. Peeta had inquired about the inspiration for her art pieces and she said they were "protective Celtic runes and symbols." He had no idea what that was supposed to mean but he could appreciate the stark lines and elaborate knot designs.

"It's a rowan tree in case you were wondering," Nemesis supplied further. She couldn't say more without giving herself away. People, Peeta included, tended to ignore the supernatural so she think anything of casually bringing up magic in a conversation. They would rationalize what she said or outright ignore it. He wasn't sure what type of tree she was describing as the only arboretum they had were the ones that surrounded the district. He had never been beyond the fence so if it wasn't an oak or a maple, then he couldn't tell the difference. Still, it was a nice design and Mari was generous so he wasn't about to argue. The bakery had its own various amounts of her artwork strewn across the walls; some even hidden under rugs. He really didn't understand the point of having a designed covered by carpet but he learned to not try to make sense of his friend's quirky behavior.

Nemesis eyed a piano in the corner of the room and was drawn to the instrument. Years of piano lessons (some for undercover Slayer duty, others forced upon her by her parents) echoed through her mind and she was reminded of home.

"Dells, would you mind if I played?" she couldn't help but ask as she grazed the smooth ivory keys.

"Sure, go right ahead," Delly replied, somewhat confused as no one in the Seam had ever gone to her mother for lessons. The Cartwrights were one of only two families in District 12 that even owned a piano, the other being the Undersees.

Mari sat at the bench with perfect posture and form, her hands slowly gliding over the keys and played a haunting melody. She had a concentrated look on her face as she tried to remember the entire sonata.

The two District 12 citizens stopped what they were doing to listen to the beautiful music they had never heard before. They had melodies for the fields and mountains, the valley song they all knew by heart but only one of them was brave enough to sing in front of assembly, but nothing like what Mari played for them. Time seemed to have stopped and listened to the music as well. It was powerful and invoked a hope in them that in their dark and sad world something so beautiful and pure could exist. An unnamed feeling swelled within Peeta, taking up all the room in his chest. So much that he felt his heart would burst, a feeling he only felt around Katniss Everdeen. The beautiful mysterious girl that had caught his attention at five and never let go.

Tears fell from Delly's eyes so moved was she at the music. There was nothing like it in the District and probably in all of Panem. Something so special could not be kept secret. It spoke to all people everywhere and transcended District lines.

The tune become more upbeat but still stunning, Mari's hands flying over the keys as she poured her entire being into the piece. The Seam girl was determined to play the tune in its entirety. They sat amazed as she played and all too soon it was over. Peeter glanced at the ancient grandfather clock that rested in the corner of the Cartwright's common room and saw that fifteen minutes had past but it didn't seem nearly that long.

"That was beautiful Mari...what was it?" Delly asked, trying her best not to seem too surprised that a Seam girl would know such music.

"Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven," she replied automatically but winced when she realized they wouldn't know who that was. It made her just a little sadder that such genius did not survive whatever cataclysmic event that occurred.

District 12 was not her home.

75 A.D.D. was not her time.

Nemesis did not belong and each day that passed reminded her of that more and more.

It was a strange name but Peeta and Delly assumed it was a Seam resident they had never met. Both wondered what else they might have missed out on when following their parent's order to not mingle with the poorer class unless they couldn't avoid it.

Nemesis remembered a promise to her best friend and she was ashamed it took her months to pay tribute.**  
><strong>

"I'll play something a bit brighter. I made a promise to a friend, Rev...Julie - Her name was Julie – a while ago. To sing this song just for her, do you want to hear it?," Nemesis known as Mari asked them and they were eager to hear more.

The tune was a lot simpler but beautiful nonetheless.

_Blackbird singing in the dead of night_

_Take these broken wings and learn to fly_

_All your life_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

_Blackbird singing in the dead of night_

_Take these sunken eyes and learn to see_

_All your life_

_You were only waiting for this moment to be free_

_Blackbird fly, blackbird fly_

_Into the light of the dark black night_

_Blackbird fly, blackbird fly_

_Into the light of the dark black night_

_Blackbird singing in the dead of night_

_Take these broken wings and learn to fly_

_All your life_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

Something in the song reminded Peeta of himself and all those trapped in District 12. They were all waiting for the Games but wishing to be truly free. Every so often he felt that perhaps the Games were freedom. If they won, they were better off than they could every hope for, if they died then they died. It'd be the end to the miserable existence under the Capitol's control.

Nights he'd be broken and blue from his mother's temper he wished he could just get away. Go anywhere but District 12. Then he thought of bright grey eyes and long black hair, it gave him a hope for the future. One day he'd talk to the pretty Seam girl.

When the song ended, Mari's eyes were filled with tears for her lost friend. She never got to bury or pay her respects to Revenge...Julie. She never got to know what happened to Julie or her sister Slayers.

"What happened to her?" Peeta asked, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. In the Merchant class, death wasn't as a common occurrence as it was in the Seam. They were well fed and suffered the still borne or even old age but not on the scale of those in the Seam. The poor fell to disease they couldn't afford medicine for, hunger they couldn't sate, and cruel penalty of death for stealing things they were so desperate for.

"She died in my arms," Nemesis replied as her shoulders shook with grief. It was the first time since she appeared in Panem that she allowed herself to full contemplate her friend's demise. Julie died fighting the good fight. She died with honor but that meant little when Nemesis missed her so much.

Peeta and Delly didn't ask further. It was obvious that Mari missed her friend very much and with so many horrors District 12 faced on a daily basis, they didn't need the details.

They both embraced their friend and just held her. They let her cry her mourning and she was grateful.

"I'll play something actually brighter..." she laughed through the last of her tears.

She played into the evening and promised Delly she'd write up the sheet music, what she could remember, and give it to her the next day when they all hung out for baking lessons. **  
><strong>

* * *

><p>The next day, they all hung out in the Mellark Bakery. Nemesis had Delly dying eggs while Peeta prettily braided the brioche.<p>

"_I'm a terrible Catholic_," Nemesis thought to herself as she tried to celebrate the holy holiday way too late. "_How am I supposed to know it's Easter if my mom or the church doesn't tell me?__"_

She knew she missed the fuck out of Easter that year, it was already late May and there was no way it was that late. Unless there was some sort of celestial shift in the cosmos that made the Equinox later and its following first full moon but hell if she knew or could find out. So she opted to do what most Catholics did, she celebrated when she actually remembered and figured it was good enough.

Peeta was having fun baking the new kind of bread, he had never thought to dye eggs or to braid bread in such a fashion. His mother had gawked at the price of the rich pastry and all the ingredients but calmed down when Mari said she'd pay for whatever they couldn't sell.

Mari tried to explain the concept of Seam holiday called Easter. It was a time for forgiveness and rebirth. That sounded all well and good, despite very foreign, but he didn't understand how eggs and rabbits fit into the equation. When Mari stumbled to explain it, it was obvious she didn't know either.

"Stop questioning me and just accept the awesomeness of the Easter Basket," she grumbled as she tied ribbon to the various wicker baskets filled with chocolates and dyed eggs. The next day they would have an "Easter Egg Hunt" which involved hiding the painted eggs in various places for children to find. It seemed like a lot of fun despite its nonsensical explanation. His mother was happy that so many had signed up for the event and paid good coin for it. He was glad that Mari thought to buy even more for the Seam children and they wouldn't be charging them.

"Mmmm Peeta, you sure look like you know what you're doing kneading that bread. Want to show me what you can do with those hands later?" Mari asked with a lewd wink.

Peeta could only give a small laugh as he shook his head. Delly's mouth had dropped in shock but smiled through it and couldn't believe someone could be so forward.

"Girl, you are going to get us sent to the stocks one of these days," he replied in good humor. It wasn't the first and probably wouldn't be the last time Mari would proposition him. At first her come-ons were done in private but once she figured out that he was not interested in that kind of relationship, she had taken to making outlandish statements of sexual impropriety. She never did it in front of his mother or the Peacekeepers and he knew she was just having fun; so he never put his foot done and told her to stop.

Nemesis on the other hand was just being a sore loser about it and purposefully tried to make him uncomfortable. She was doing the same thing to Gale so she figured as long as she was equal about it then it was OK.

"_Of course only I would land in a place where I couldn't get laid in a men's prison with a stack full of pardons."_

Despite his adamant refusal she was very fond of Peeta. He was one of those genuinely nice guys that were hard to find and she wondered what his deal was. He wasn't gay because she had seen him checking out her ass and Delly's plentiful bosom. She suspected that he was in love with someone, same reason as Gale, but she didn't have a clue to as whom it could be. He never gives more than a passing glance at any of the Merchant girls and she'd never seen him even talk to the Seam girl other than herself. He did mention going with her to the Hob to sell the day old goods that wouldn't sell in the Merchant Quarter but his mother had been strict. It was bad enough Mrs. Mellark had a Seam girl in her place of business but she wouldn't tolerate her son mingling with the poorer side of District 12.

"Peet, I would ride you like a Clydesdale and if that is wrong I don't want to be right."

All three friends laughed, especially after Mari explained to them that a Clydesdale was an especially large horse.

Their laughter soon died when Mrs. Mellark entered the back of the bakery. Despite the heat the ovens gave off, the room temperature lowered several degrees as each teenager stopped talking. Nemesis wanted nothing more than to punch the woman in the face but knew it would only hinder more than help.

"When's the bread going to be done?" she asked in the coldest voice Nemesis had ever heard and it was just a simple question.

Peeta wasn't sure but he also didn't want Mari to talk more than she had to. He knew that she was controlling a sharp and sarcastic tongue for his sake but he didn't want to tempt the odds.

"The dough has been proofed and we're about to egg wash them then insert the dyed uncooked eggs into the braids. It shouldn't be long."

Mrs. Mellark was satisfied with his answer and smiled at Delly, the appropriate friend for her son. Her smile vanished when her eyes traveled to Mari. There was no love lost between the two and as soon as the baker's wife was out of hearing range,

"Come on Peeta. Now we **have** to have hateful spite sex."

Peeta tensed up, his mother had reminded him of the consequences of "disgraceful behavior." Still, he gave kudos to Mari for being consistent.

Delly let out the first nervous laugh that broke the tension. The two were the complete opposites compared to Katniss and Gale. The latter were always so serious and it took her months to get even a crack of a smile from the Seam male.

With Peeta and Delly it was just so easy, they welcomed her without any distrust. In all fairness the two hunters did find her under suspicious circumstances. She also knew they had a much harder life than the two before her. That kind of hard life makes a person hard and they probably don't know how to relax and just have fun. Living day to day didn't leave a lot of room for frivolity and she hoped to change that.

At the moment she enjoyed the easy camaraderie, she could easily forget she wasn't home when she was with people that made her feel normal. She wasn't Nemesis the Vampire Slayer she was Mari the easy going and raunchy Seam girl. It was hard to have a secret life and in Panem she has a secret life within her secret life. She actually had several secret lives going on and no one truly knew her. It was hard when she was home, keeping secrets from her family. The person who knew most about her in Panem was Prim and even the young blonde didn't know everything. It was a aspect of becoming a Slayer she had grown used to but it stilled hurt. She felt she couldn't fully connect with others. That lack of connection made her feel alone and she worried she'd never be able to truly be with someone. Then again she never thought she'd make it out of her teens, and still doesn't, so she was going to do what she always did: not deal with it and just live in the moment because that's all she had.

In her introspective moment as she laughed with her friends she forgot her own strength and grabbed a delicate handle of one of the racks and it broke; a cascade of carefully braided and egged brioche fell to the floor. The unbaked breads plopped to the cement floor and the raw eggs cracked, thoroughly ruining several loaves.

"Oh shit, sorry Peet. I'll clean it up..." Nemesis began, not thinking it was a big deal. Accidents happened and she was going to pay for the ruined bread.

Peeta on the other hand did not see it as "accidents happen," he saw it more as a catastrophe that

could only mean bad things for Nemesis. He had been on the end of his mother's anger more often than not and he couldn't let something like that happen to his friend. He frantically tried to clean up and salvage what he could.

Nemesis did not understand what was going on. Peeta was moving like a vampire was after him and Delly froze in fear, as if she was bracing herself for the apocalypse.

"Peet...it's OK. I can get it..."

Only it wasn't OK because Mrs. Mellark heard the ruckus and stormed in. She saw Peeta on the ground, trying to clean and anger blinded her. The loss of coin and waste of ingredients was all that she saw; she didn't see the terrified look in his eyes but Nemesis did. The blonde Seam girl did not like where her instincts were telling her things were going.

Slayer senses made everything sharper and she was able to process things more clearly. Time seemed to slow down for her and she was able to react with lightening speed.

"You worthless, wasteful creature..." Mrs. Mellark spit out venomously, much more than the Slayer thought a mother could ever have for her son. With more familiarity than anyone ought to have, she grabbed an old polished marble rolling pin and swung it forward.

Peeta braced himself for the impact and his one thought before impact was that he was glad that it was him and not Nemesis or Delly.

Normally when Mrs. Mellark lost her temper she always aimed for areas that could easily be covered, especially with her stone rolling pin. Other times when she aimed for the face, when she really needed to teach him a lesson, it was with the heavy wooden spoon or her own hands. As much as she wanted to discipline her sons, as well as abate her own anger and bitterness, she didn't want to be the center of gossip. At least not of the bad kind, the kind that would hurt business.

But that moment Peeta was not standing up but kneeling from trying to clean up. Instead of the usual target of his midsection, the pin was swinging towards his head.

Everything happened so quickly for everyone; what everyone else saw happen in mere seconds Nemesis reacted and completely understood all in the span of a butterfly's flutter. She was ashamed that she didn't see it earlier. She felt stupid and a terrible friend for buying his excuses of "wrestling" injuries and bruises. She was so preoccupied with keeping Haymitch alive and getting rid of Thread that she ignored the currently obvious signs.

Her blood boiled and it had nothing to do with her devotion to the goddess of divine retribution. She was angrier with the baker's wife than she had been with the murderous homophobic Peacekeepers. She expected them to be monsters, mothers and fathers were not to strike their children in anger. It was unnatural and wrong. It went against every principle she ever had.

The pin had stopped in mid air, Mari's strong grip preventing it from going any further. She held on tightly as Mrs. Mellark fought with all her might to get the roller back but it wouldn't budge.

"You filthy Seam whore. How dare you..." Mrs. Mellark started to yell at Nemesis but the younger blonde jerked the pin away with such force that she staggered forward. The Slayer threw the roller with all her supernatural strength to the brick wall, shattering it into little pieces; there was even a dent in the stonework where the pin hit. Everyone was startled into silence and wasn't sure what was happening.

Not only was the act of strength amazing but no one had ever stood up to Mrs. Mellark before. The entire District knew she hit her sons. Corporal punishment wasn't totally uncommon but the extent and severity of the baker's wife was unmatched.

"Dells, take Peeta outside...maybe take him to your place," Mari said calmly, disturbingly so as if she hadn't pulverized a family heirloom into smithereens.

"You won't take him anywhere girl," Mrs. Mellark growled out as she got her wits about her. She wasn't about to let him go without being punished and she wasn't going to be bossed around by some Seam bastard.

"Now you get..."she wasn't able to finish because with an unholy speed Mari had her pinned against the wall and a knife imbedded milometers from her head into the brick.

"You will stop talking now. Delly, Peeta. Out. Now. Go to your house."

Mr. Mellark came down from the upstairs apartment, out of breath.

"I alerted the Peacekeepers and they are on their way. I suggest you let go of my wife and leave before they get here," Mr. Mellark said as assertively as he could. He was a humble man by nature and he couldn't pull off intimidating if his life depended on it.

"Delly, Peeta; get out," Mari said with the same amount of calmness.

Delly had been told enough times to finally listen. Peeta struggled to stay but seeing Mari's face he knew that he should go. He wasn't sure what was happening but he couldn't be there. His friend's had witnessed his messed up home life. Mari looked like she could take care of herself but he knew that Delly had never raised her hand in her life. If anything, he had to get his childhood friend out of the situation. He could come back once he got her to safety.

The two teens left and all there was were the Mellarks and Nemesis.

"Sit down Mr. Mellark," Mari told them coldly as she shoved Mrs. Mellark into him. They stumbled into two work chairs and sat.

"Listen you stupid Seam brat, the Peacekeepers are on their way and you'll be..."

Mrs. Mellark was interrupted by Mari's laughter, she was distressed at the smile the younger blonde had. The girl was all too happy at what should be threatening news.

"I'm not afraid of the tighty whities Mrs. Mellark. You, me, and your husband are going to have a little chat."

Two Peacekeepers in pristine white uniforms and automatic pistols walked into the bakery. A dull glaze in their eyes and a dopey smile on their face greeted the inhabitants of the bakery.

"Hey Batias, Lucretia. How's it going?" Mari ask jovially as she walked behind the Mellarks and then placed both hands across their mouths so they couldn't speak.

'Hi Mari, we got a distress call...what are you doing?"

"Oh I'm helping the Mellarks. Their teeth are melting out of their mouth and that's why they called. But I'm helping them so you can go now. Thread came by and personally said not to tell anyone that you've been here or what is happening. He's a good friend to the Mellarks and they don't want to be embarrassed."

Nemesis' lies rolled off her tongue like silk, she told them as if they were the odds honest truth and the two captives struggled but her hold was unmoving. They had never come across someone so strong, especially a Seam child that never had enough to eat.

The two Peacekeepers' eyes shimmered as the magic spiked water worked its way through their minds. The lies became the truth, everything Mari had said changed their neural pathways to adjust their point of view. Although what she said was ridiculous, in their mind it was as true as the sky was blue.

"That sounds awful. I hope you two will be OK. We'll be heading back to the barracks. Let us know if you need further assistance."

The two drugged out police force exited the bakery and went on their merry way.

The Mellarks stopped struggling because they were totally baffled at the turn of events. How could the Peacekeepers believe a word the girl said?

"What were you guys saying about the boys in white?" Mari asked cheekily.

Mr. Mellark saw that no help was coming and he tried to make a run for it. He was no match for Nemesis though and she quickly put him back in his place.

"I said I wanted to speak with you, so **sit.**"

Nemesis breathed in deep, she needed answers and she needed to calm down. At the rate she was going, she was about to break out in black eyes and her wings were going to pop out of her back.

"How long has this been going on?"

"What are you..." Mr. Mellark started to ask.

The Slayer twisted his arm and he barked out in pain. She was controlling herself but she would not tolerate his purposeful ignorance.

"**Do not **play dumb with me. I will break every bone in your body if you try again."

She let him up and roughly put him back in the chair. She stared him down hard and he knew that he couldn't deny what had been going on any longer.

"It's always been this way," he finally stuttered out. "But I've never touched any of the boys. I swear."

"You coward! You'd have her..."

"Shut up! No one talks but me now," Nemesis shouted, already tired of their bullshit excuses.

"You think you're absolved, Mr. Mellark?" Nemesis asked, knowing he wouldn't be able to answer because nothing he could say would be right.

"Because I don't think it does. If anything, I just might be more pissed at you."

Mr. Mellark's eyes did not show he recognized her slang and she went on, not feeling like explaining that she was mad at him. Her demeanor and hard stare probably said plenty. She lifted her long sleeve and on her right arm showed the tattoos she got several years ago. Their eyes widened at the sight of the ink. No person in District 12 could have such adornments, not even the lowly Seam residents.

A truth echoed through both of their minds and they didn't need any magic potion to convince them of it: Mari was not from District 12. She had to be from the Capitol, a spy perhaps? Either way, they were more terrified than ever. What could a Capitol resident that had an obvious influence over the Peacekeepers be doing in their part of Panem? The mystery of it was more terrifying than the outright threats Mari kept spouting.

"Do you know what this tattoo means, Mr. Mellark?"

He shook his head, terrified that the next answer could be his last.

"It's James 4:17. 'Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.' It means that if you stand by while someone does something wrong when you could do something, then you're just as guilty. What kind of man allows his children to be hurt?"

Mr. Mellark looked away, he could no longer look the girl in the eye. He always knew that he had let his sons down but what could he do about it? Iris was his wife and separating was unknown in Panem. He was stuck and they needed to instill in the boys that they couldn't be wasteful. The excuses he told himself felt emptier than they ever had before. Being confronted with the truth diluted his ability to stay in denial. He was asked why he had let his boys down and he couldn't come up with an answer.

"Mr. Mellark, you're a nice guy. You smile at me, slip free cookies to me to give to Seam children, and you give more bread for poached meat than they're worth; but you are only as good as your biggest failure. And you've failed your children."

Tears ran down his face with his shame, openly crying.

"What we do is none of your concern," Mrs. Mellark tried to intervene on her behalf.

"I'm making it my concern," Nemesis replied with no room for argument. "OK I'm going to make this short and sweet because frankly being around you two makes me want to go into a homicidal rage and do unadulterated violence. So you are never going to touch Peeta or...Eamon? That's your other son right?"

Mr. Mellark nodded his head to confirm.

"You aren't going to touch either of them again. And if you do...well let's say I am very talented at making people I don't like go away. They never did find Cray, did they?"

Both froze at the implication and could not move, their breathing slowed down as their hearts constricted in their chest.

They got the message loud and clear to her satisfaction.

"Alright. No mention of what we've talked about. It'll be our little secret. I'll be around."

With that, she left the two stunned married couple to their own terror and their new life.

Nemesis trekked the few blocks towards Delly's house, the two teens were pacing the back of the building in the yard; both were frantic. Peeta had been trying to get back to the bakery but the shoemaker's daughter had been doing her best to keep him there. He would never do anything to harm her and found it difficult to escape when she would hold onto him and not let go.

Delly saw Mari come towards them and she was so relived that she looked unhurt.

"Oh Mari, I'm so glad you're alright."

Peeta didn't seem as happy to see her and he didn't waste any time letting her know how he felt.

"You have no right...What did you do to them?"

Nemesis frowned, not understanding where his attitude was coming from. She just saved him from being clobbered by a giant stone dough roller. As far as she was concerned, she did him a favor and he was asking about the woman who had no issue hurting him and on a regular basis if his frequent bruising was any indication. District 12 was more messed up than she thought.

"I just talked to them," she replied not wanting to divulge everything she did.

"Throwing things and pulling a knife on them isn't nothing."

"Neither if fucking striking you with a rolling pin."

"She didn't meant to..."

"To what? Hit you? Was she aiming for thin air and you happen to get in the way?

Part of Nemesis knew that being snarky wasn't helpful but her frustration and misunderstanding was getting the better of her.

"She does it so we'll learn to be careful." he said with a tremble in his voice, his defense of his mother wavering. He had never encountered who cared enough to see things the way they were. Mari was not looking the other way. She called it what it was, it was wrong.

"Serisouly?! Peeta, it was an almost six pound solid stone rolling pin aimed directly for **your** head that she swung with all her might. She would have cracked your skull open, a concussion at the very least."

"She...she was confused. She usually aims lower but I was kneeling..."

"Oh OK so she would have just broken a couple of ribs. That's **so** much better."

"You don't understand. It's different in the Merchant Quarter. We have to keep the business' running...we waste anything or mess up then we could bring the entire family down."

"Right, so if Delly miss-nailed a shoe then it's OK if her dad taught her a lesson with his fist?"

"NO! That's different..."

"How?"

"..."

He had no answer. It wouldn't be right for anyone to lay a hand on Delly. He couldn't explain why it was justified for him. It was just something that was always constant. He messed up, his mother hit him. It was something they never talked about and he liked it that way. With Mari shoving the issue out into the open, shame and humiliation tore through him. He turned away from the girls, unwilling to let them see the tears forming in his eyes.

Nemesis took a breath and stepped back. She saw that Peeta was struggling and that things were hard for him. She didn't understand where he was coming from but that wasn't important. She didn't need to understand, she just needed to be there for him.

"Peet," she said softly, dropping the attitude. She took his head into her hands gently, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"You do not deserve the abuse. I don't care if you accidentally burn down the bakery. A parent should never hit their child in anger. You're worth than all the bread in the world. Your mother and father are fools to not see that."

"She's right Peeta," Delly added. "I know I've never said anything but there were so many ties I wish I did...I just never knew what to say. But Mari, she said it all."

Peeta couldn't speak, his throat clenched. He was more confused than he had ever been. All his life he was told the hits were something he had earned with his incompetence or short comings. It was something so ingrained in him that it made him uncomfortable to hear something to the contrary.

His resistance to the truth wasn't uncommon among abuse victims. She had seen it too many times with her sister Slayers that came from bad homes. They would always come to the defense of their parents and they felt that since they could heal quicker, the abuse was somehow OK. There were also the odd woman who was dating a half demon, always making excuses. It wasn't their fault, it was their demon blood and it was all OK because they loved each other. It was completely counter intuitive but she needed to move past it. Part of her hated that they lived in a world where something so innate to her as "hitting others is wrong" has to be spelled out. She hated that she actually had to stand up and say something rather than it was just readily accepted.

"Peet, I know...this is difficult. I care about you and I'm not going to let the violence stand. Your parents are fine but they know not to touch you or your brother still at home. That's going to stop. They're still your parents and you still live under their roof. You'll respect them...but they aren't allowed to hit you."

"My father never hit me" Peeta said, not understanding why she kept referring to both of his parents when only his mother ever touched him. His father has always been quiet and gentle with him. His father was always the one who patched him up and reminded him that he was loved no matter how mad his mother got at him.

He was afraid that his mother would be more furious than he'd ever seen her, not only was the bread wasted but others knew about their private life. But Mari had a solid strength about her, hidden but always there. It was a novel feeling to have someone be there for him and stand up for him.

Delly came closer to them, she wanted to lend her support even when she didn't have the words. Nemesis pulled him close and let him cry, let him get out all the pain he kept inside because he was told he had to just take it. Delly embraced him as well and the three friends just held each other in comfort, they gave each other strength to get through that rough time.

Peeta was grateful, it still hurt and it would for a very long time but with his friends it would be a lot more bearable.

"_OK this is a nice ABC Family moment. You are supporting your friend through a really rough time. DO NOT think about how awesome his broad shoulders feel and especially do not sneak your hand down to his ass."_

She couldn't resist temptation and stealthily pulled him closer and copped a quick feel of his unbelievably tight butt.

Nemesis had no soul.

She was OK with that.

**A/N: Song is Blackbird by the Beatles**

**Bit of a long chapter but I couldn't find a good place to split it. Hope ya'll don't mind the length. **

**This chapter had a bit of the feels in it, at least I hope I wrote it well enough to invoke the feels. I just don't know why a lot of writer's don't address the domestic abuse Peeta suffered under his mother so I felt the need to. I think it was also a very good example of how different Nemesis' and Panem's world is. We have CPS and structures in place to help children in abusive situations where Panem has nothing. There is no protection for children and no one is brave enough to stand up to such injustice. **

**Hope you guys enjoy the chapter and next up is the Reaping!**

**Happy Reading!**

**[Inserted 9/7/12] Shout out to Wandering Eye. In my rush to publish I totes forgot to thank you for the review. My deepest apologies! You're awesome and please continue to enjoy. :- D**


	13. Chapter 13

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own.**

_Nemesis kneeled down on a huge bolder by a running river, the water so agitated it aerated_ _white. It was a relaxing background noise that she hadn't heard in a very long time, the scenery_ _peaceful next to the riverbank. She didn't know where she was or how she got there._

_She certainly wasn't in District 12. _

_She contemplated what she ought to do when a slight figure suddenly appeared beside her. A girl her age,_ _maybe a year or two younger, stood next to her in blue jean overalls with strawberry blonde hair twisted in twin braids_

_"The river flow where it may," the girl said in a thick southern accent, further south than where_ _Nemesis originally came from; probably in the Carolinas she would guess._

_She recognized her. She didn't know the southern belle in her lifetime or even her name. Just_ _knew that she was a Slayer from a past life. Nemesis recognized her from the one of the many_ _horrible nightmares she had, all of living the life of a scared girl fighting monsters._

_The girl before her died at the hands of a crossroads demon; tried to save some poor fool from_ _losing his soul for money during the Great Depression. She remembered being in the grasp of a_ _fair skinned woman with strength beyond what any human should have, eyes glowing holly red;_ _smiling as she snapped her neck._

_It was one of the quicker and pleasant deaths she had lived through as past Slayers._

_The current Slayer wanted nothing more than to wake up because she knew she was dreaming_ _but she couldn't. Nightmares of past lives or prophetic dreams were impossible to escape. All_ _she could do was stand there and watch the scene unfold before her like a live play._

_"What's that supposed to mean?" Nemesis asked in her own native accent._

_"They told me you were southern," she replied as if she were disappointed and not answering_ _her question._

_Nemesis rolled her eyes, tired of hearing her accent wasn't "southern" enough and that she_ _sounded like a damn Yankee; at least according to her Cajun grandmother and currently the_ _ghost of a dead Slayer._

_"Maryland's the south…it's below the Mason Dixon," she said defensively. The girl rolled her_ _eyes and went on._

_"You know you don't belong in District 12. You've disrupted the natural flow of things."_

_"__**So**__ not my fault."_

_"The river will flow where it may."_

_"Yeah…said that already. Are you going to be cryptic-y the whole time or are you going to say_ _something helpful?"_

_"At least you got some Southern gumption. You need to be ready."_

_"For what exactly?"_

_"For when you can't save them. The river might be diverted and its path altered but its_ _destination is still the same."_

_"Who can't I save?" she asked finally taking the dream seriously, knowing the Hunger Games approached._

_"If you save one then another will take their place."_

_"Who can't I save?" she repeated, not interested in anything else._

_The past Slayer pointed to the river bank, a bush of evening roses grew dangerously close to the_ _water. She saw that the water had changed its course, sparing the yellow flower but drowned a_ _cluster of dandelions._

_"Damn it stop with the pseudo symbolism and just tell me! Who can't I save?!"_

_All of a sudden she was no longer in the woods next to a river but engulfed in a city of stone. A long_ _road lay before her, surrounded on both sides by granite stadium seating filled with grotesque_ _monsters in an array of garish colors. They were all sitting in blood but seemed to pay no mind;_ _a deafening cheer filled the air._

_"__**HUN-GER GAMES! HUN-GER GAMES! HUN-GER GAMES! HUN-GER GAMES!**__"_

_The monsters with powdered faces and fluffy wigs shouted as blood poured from their mouths. They_ _were all drowning in blood but didn't seem to mind; in fact they seemed to revel in it. _

_Nemesis had fought countless monsters with sharp fangs and tearing claws but nothing had filled_  
><em>her with such terror than monsters such as those; humans with no concern for life, those born with a soul but lost it somewhere along the way.<em>

_They all watched the center of the city where there stood a man on a balcony. He was dressed simply_ _in dark grey, his white hair stark against the rainbow __of color favored by the citizens. He looked like any other aged man, only his mouth warped and puffy._

_Every instinct, natural and Slayer, screamed at her; before her was an evil man._

_"Congratulations to the winner of the 75th Hunger Games, the Girl on Fire."_

_His voice magnified throughout the entire city and he laid a golden crown on a girl that radiated_ _light._

_It took a moment for Nemesis to recognize who the girl was, clothed in canary yellow. Her hair_ _cascaded in dark shiny waves. Her skin polished and her makeup done flawlessly._

_Katniss looked as beautiful as a goddess, even among beasts that raged below her. Her steel eyes_ _stone cold and dead, she was not paying attention to anything going on around her. She had won the Hunger_ _Games but had died as well._

_As soon as the crown touched her head, the huntress burst into flames._

_"GIRL__** ON**__ FI-RE! GIRL__** ON**__ FI-RE! GIRL__** ON**__ FI-RE! GIRL__** ON**__ FI-RE! GIRL__** ON**__ FI-RE!" the_ _crowd cheered in a frenzy._

"KATNISS!" Nemesis shouted as she suddenly woke from the dream. She panted strenuous breathes while the fog of sleep cleared. She saw she was in the room on the second floor of Victor Haymitch's house. The walls were littered with protective runes and magics. Similar sigils donned the Everdeen and Hawthorn homes. She was in an unknown land with unknown technology. She knew that what she was planning was an act against the state. A state that had no trouble stealing girls away from their homes or placing dictators with free reign to kill in positions of power. She had read what little history was available and it talked of nuclear warfare. Her powers could not protect against such attacks but they were better than nothing. She just hoped that their first attack would not be such a drastic one.

She listened for movement in the house, seeing if her night terror had woken the owner. All she heard was the chirping of the strange hybrid birds Greasy Sae told her about outside, greeting the dawn. Haymitch had not woken from his drunken sleep and probably wouldn't for hours. He had been hitting the bottle harder than she had seen him since taking care of him for the past couple of months.

Knowing what she knew she didn't blame him for trying to kill the memories. She also knew that nothing would make what he went through OK. She couldn't fight the monsters that he lived with everyday.

There were some demons beyond the power of Slayers.

Despite his justification of drowning his guilt in illicitly made whiskey, he was supposed be some sort of mentor or helper in the Games. She needed him to be sober for whoever was chosen. He had survived the Games once, a Quarter Quell to boot, so he had to be of some use. If nothing else he needed to be aware enough of what was going on to get sponsors. She at first thought of Nike or Gator-aid lending their name to someone but then Prim had explained to her the finer points of the Hunger Games. Citizens placing bets on the killing of children and giving some an unfair advantage for arbitrary reasons such as who was prettier gave the whole thing an extra layer of fucked up that was beyond her comprehension.

Nemesis quickly got dressed and climbed to the roof of the house. The sun was just a mere line of light on the horizon, a rich orange-pink desperately trying to overtake the midnight blue of fading night. She had slept four hours, a record for her. Dreams with live links of past Slayers took longer she supposed. Nightmares of dying a gruesome death were over quicker although they seemed a lifetime.

She took a deep breath of the cooler morning air although she could tell it was going to be a very warm day. The sun finally broke and she greeted a new day.

Spending night after night fighting hordes of beasts and demons, she had a tradition of always being awake for sunrise. A new day filled with new promises. It was a hope for something better.

That day she did not feel her usual thankfulness. She felt the dread that most felt in Panem.

It was Reaping day.

* * *

><p>A few hours later across town, another blonde girl woke up screaming from a nightmare.<p>

Prim snuggled deeper into her sister's embrace as the huntress chased away her nightmare. She was soothed by the lovely melody of the lullaby and her sister stroking her sweat soaked brow.

"It's OK Prim. You had that nightmare last year remember? And you weren't picked then and you won't be picked now. You have two slips out of thousands. Gale had forty two entries last year and he wasn't picked. The odds are in your favor. No need to worry," Katniss cooed, the only time she ever gave comfort was to her little sister.

Prim knew better though, Nemesis told her the Wheel of Fortune was fickle and it didn't matter how many slips contained her name. The older witch had told her to never discount dreams as sometimes the gods showed them their future or relayed important messages through them. She had told her of her dreams last year, how she knew deep in her bones that she was going to be chosen. The dreams stopped the night before the Reaping, as if Fate had changed her mind. She never told Katniss she saw Effie Trinket in a loud pink wig and pale makeup as well. When she saw the Capitol escort donning the same attire as her dream, she convinced herself that she was remembering wrong; she convinced herself it wasn't possible to dream of the future. Effie hadn't chosen her name so the whole thing must have been a figment of her imagination.

She knew better though; it wasn't just a dream. She was in tune with everything around her and something was coming on the wind; something that included her and was warning her of what was to come.

Prim had calmed down and hated that she worried her sister so much. Katniss had so much to deal with that she didn't want to add another thing on top of it. She watched her sister dress in her hunting attire, worn jeans and shirt with their father's old leather jacket, and leave the house quietly so she wouldn't wake up their mother but not without a snarky comment to the semi-feral cat Buttercup.

The grey eyed girl wanted to do one last hunting run before the afternoon Reaping. Perhaps she could bag a rare doe or buck for the fresh meat hungry Peacekeepers. They had oddly all chosen to stay in the District that year instead of rotating out. Prim knew it was the influence of magic but Katniss didn't question it. The lack of change meant that she kept her client base and wouldn't have to be as cautious feting out new ones.

Prim and Nemesis had secretly blessed Katniss' bows and arrows as well as sewed some protective enchantments into her clothing. She would be successful in her hunt.

The youngest Everdeen started her day. She cleaned up, reorganized, and took account of the herb stock. Her mother finally got out of bed an hour later; she usually slept in on Reaping day as most did. They had a few customers in need of stomach soothers, the stress of the Hunger Games finally catching up to them.

Crushed mint leaves in warm milk usually did the trick but a quick spell made the cure all the more potent.

All too soon it was time for her to get ready. It'd probably be another hour or two before her sister came back home but they would need it to get the bath water prepared. She trudged to the well and got the needed water then waited for it to heat. She got impatient and waved her hand over the tepid liquid.

"Calefac ad tactum"

Instantly the water warmed to her liking and she luxuriated in a warm bath, something she seldom enjoyed. Nemesis had told her that she was welcomed to use the bathroom at Haymitch's but she was worried the Capitol would question the spike in his water use. She was used to washing with just a piece of cloth and the bare minimum of water. Using so much for a shower was wasteful and too Capitol for her taste. She only bathed in a tub once a month and when it was required for the Reaping. It was a televised event and the Capitol residences wanted them to look their best for slaughter.

She never had much so her Reaping outfit consisted of a frilly white shirt and a plaid skirt. Her socks and shoes where her everyday pair, they didn't have the money to splurge for anything fancier at the Cartwright's that she would only wear once a year.

Prim looked herself over, seeing the changes of her going from childhood to womanhood. She wasn't fully grown yet but she did fill out the hand-me-down blouse better than she had the year before. It was still too big and the back untucked itself with a lot of movement.

Mrs. Everdeen had lain down Katniss' blue dress, an item from her Merchant days. It was the nicest thing they had ever owned and she couldn't wait until her sister didn't need it anymore.

Although if her dream came true, she might not need another Reaping outfit period.

Katniss finally came back, splatters of blood all over her clothing.

"What happened?" Prim asked worriedly as she checked her sister over for wounds.

"It's not my blood little duck. It's from an eighty pound buck I snagged; already sold it all in the Hob and to the butcher. We'll have enough this winter so we won't have to take out any tesserae."

Katniss was never happier than when she could provide for her family. She never allowed her sister to take any extra grain or oil; she would never allow her to put herself in danger. But the coming winter she wouldn't have to take any either. If they were smart with their money, they would have enough to get them through even if they didn't have another miraculous winter of abundant rabbits.

The huntress put away her bloody clothes and got ready for the Reaping.

* * *

><p>Nemesis came over to check on Prim, see how she was doing.<p>

"Hey piccola," the Slayer greeted looking worse for wear. Prim frowned as they didn't have a lot of time to get ready and the older girl needed to blend in.

"What are you going to glamour for the Reaping? It can't be anything too fancy or they'll notice. Maybe something like Kat's dress," she motioned towards the blue cotton dress.

"What are you talking about?"

"A dress for the Reaping…you need to dress up; it's a televised event," Prim explained.

"What?! We need to dress up? Why didn't you tell me like a week ago?"

"I thought you could just glamour an outfit…you can can't you?"

"Yes I can glamour a dress but cameras don't always pick up on illusions; had to learn that the hard way on a mission, stupid Swiss bank security cameras. What District 12 sees as a Reaping dress might be seen as my regular clothes to those watching from other Districts or the Capitol. I can't risk my face being seen and recognized. I can't stand out."

Horror showed on the younger girl's face as Nemesis' explanation sunk in.

"Nem, how are you going to sneak into town if you aren't dressed appropriately? The Peacekeepers are going to try to throw you out and even if the tonic makes them ignore your dress the Capitol escort won't. Effie has made it known how much she doesn't like 12. She doesn't trust the food or the water; she doesn't eat or drink anything until she leaves. If the cameras don't see glamours then they might see through invisibility. There are cameras all over town and at the train station."

"OK, calm down," she told the panicking girl.

The slip had created a hole in their plan. Nemesis wasn't totally convinced Prim had a prophetic dream but regardless she had planned to sneak onto the train and go to the Capitol. She was certain she could find where the Game Keepers worked and shut down the Games. She also hoped there would be some sort of library or cache of ancient books. Maybe a museum of magical artifacts the curators weren't aware of that held power. She had made up with Chloe, as much as she was able to, and swore as long as the latter stayed and protected the citizens then she would again work for a way home.

"How about the tailor? Would he have extra dresses?"

"Doubtful, no one in the District has the extra cash to just buy a dress so he only does custom orders. He might have one in progress but with the Reaping he would have finished and sent them out already."

"Fuck…OK. I'll look around town and figure something out. Calm down, your eyes are turning black."

Prim took several deep breaths and tried to reign in her magic. There had been a couple of close calls where her powers lashed out and the signs of being flushed with magics, such as black eyes or her hair turning a different color, started to show.

"Hey, I'm not going to let you die for some stupid game OK?" Nemesis said earnestly.

She nodded, she trusted Nemesis with her life; she really did but if they couldn't use magic and expose themselves as witches then she didn't know how she could survive the games. Her name was going to be called there was no doubt in her about that. She did have some serious reservations on Nemesis' ability to pull a plan together and get her through. Things were falling apart at the seams already and the Reaping hadn't even begun yet.

The Slayer ran frantically into the Merchant Quarter, staying out of sight in the back ways. The whole town had already made their way to the square, children being lined up to be accounted for and parents and those too old for the Games corralled into sections, it was first come first serve for areas right next to the Justice Building. The later ones would have to wrap around the Quarter and see the event on big screens.

She broke into the tailor's shop and Prim was right, there were no available dresses and she didn't know how to magic one into existence. Her ignorance of protocol was severely derailing her plans. She was so used to being able to buy anything at the utmost convenience of walking to a local Walmart that she didn't think she'd be in that type of bind. She couldn't steal from the Seam because it'd be very unlikely they'd have an extra fancy dress lying around and even if they did they probably broke their back to afford it. She would not stoop to stealing from the poor.

The Merchants on the other hand, they just might be well off enough to afford more than one dress but it couldn't be any Merchant. Even well to do Merchants in District 12 didn't waste money for the sake of buying pretty things.

Nemesis just happened upon the Mayor's daughter, who was apparently running late, just rushed out her front door to get to the Square. Without thinking she grabbed the wealthy girl, slapped a hand around her mouth, and then dragged her back into the house and up to her room.

Madge Undersee was a quiet and dutiful daughter. Her mother was suffering from another migraine and had to be administered morphling. Even though she was behind schedule, she stayed with her mother until she fell into the drug induced sleep.

Being kidnapped by a Seam child made her wish she left her mother to fend for herself.

"I am going to remove my hand and if you scream I will knock you out with that heavy looking silver hand mirror. Do you understand?" the strange girl asked quietly into her ear.

She could do nothing but agree and believed the girl would do it. Her kidnapper had her in a vice grip and she wasn't able to move an inch.

Nemesis let her go and Madge scuttled to the bed, waiting to hear what she wanted.

"Do you have another nice dress I could borrow for the Reaping?"

Madge frowned at the strange request. Why didn't the girl have one already? Everyone knew they had to look presentable and they usually made exceptions for the poorer side of the District.

"I…no I don't have an extra dress," she stammered out.

"Fuck! Why don't you have an extra dress? People have been gossiping that you just got a new one. Where's your old one?"

"I needed a new one for size purposes…we sold the old one to another family. We don't keep things we don't need if we can sell them."

It made logical if not inconvenient sense. As rich as the Undersees where they could not fall into Capitol habits and waste coin.

"Fuuuuckkkk…OK. Then I need your dress. Come on, strip down," she said casually as if her request wasn't totally inappropriate or illogical.

Nemesis was working on a wing and a prayer and she didn't have time for Madge to stall.

"But…but…I need the dress. What am I going to wear?"

"You'll stay here. I'll go as you."

Madge looked the girl over and did notice the striking resemblance. The Seam residents could be fooled but she definitely knew the Merchants wouldn't be. Then there were the Peacekeepers. They were dimwitted as of late but that didn't mean the girl could get past the inventory.

"They take blood to account for who's there."

"Alright, what's that?" Nemesis asked and pointed behind her.

Madge automatically turned to see what she was talking about and felt a sharp pain in her right index finger.

"Ouch!"

The girl had pricked her with her own mockingjay pin and collected the blood with a hand embroidered handkerchief from her bureau.

"They aren't going to allow you to put that blood in the book."

"Sure they are. Have you talked to the Peacekeeper's lately? They're retarded."

"What about you? If you go as me then you won't be you and won't be counted. They'll break down your door and wonder where you've been. And when they can't find you they'll do a recount and everyone will be in trouble."

Madge wasn't aware that Nemesis already didn't exist to the Capitol so no one would notice that she's missing.

"No they won't, trust me. You're just wasting time. Now give me your dress or I'm going to have to knock you out and take it from you."

Madge didn't see any other choice. She could hear Panem's anthem playing so the Reaping had already begun. Luckily for her, the Peacekeepers always combed the Seam before for missing residences before they checked the Quarter. She quickly undressed and was left only in a slip and her underclothing.

Nemesis awkwardly put the white dress on, it was tight and loose in all the wrong places.

"Geez what are you a size zero? And a C cup? Unfair," as she struggled to make the dress more comfortable but not rip it at the same time.

The measurements didn't make sense to Madge so she remained quiet. She didn't understand why the strange girl was stealing her dress and her plan to impersonate her was demented. The girl was obviously insane and she thought it best to stay put and when the Peacekeepers questioned her about it, she would tell the truth. A crazed Seam girl held her against her will and stole her dress. As mental as it sounded, the Peacekeepers have been daft enough to believe anything those days so her anxiety began to wane.

The plan seemed even crazier when she saw what the blonde Seam girl looked like in her outfit. What was once a pretty dress enveloped a girl built bigger than her like a sausage casing and rode several inches higher on her thigh due to height difference.

It was not a good look for Nemesis but it would have to do. She did curse that with all the magic she possessed she had no idea how to lengthen fabric or create a dress out of thin air.

"_Note to self, learn tailoring magic if it exists. If not then make something up_."

"If your plan was to fit it then you're spot on," Madge said dryly.

Nemesis gave her a dirty look, not appreciating the sarcasm. She heard a high pitch fast talking speech in the distance and knew she didn't have a choice. An ill fitting dress was better than everyday street clothes. Perhaps the Capitol citizens would brush it off to the state of poverty in District 12. Her family could only afford one dress even if she outgrew it.

It was logical, certainly more so than she stole it because she had only found out that day she was supposed to dress up.

"Alright, I'm just going to go…you lay low and possibly never leave your house."

"I see you've really thought this plan through."

"No actually, I just thought it up last minute. Winging it really."

Two could play the ultra sarcasm game.

They both rolled their eyes and Nemesis wondered if Madge was a descendent of one of her brothers.

Madge watched the mad girl go but stopped her when she noticed her aunt's mockingjay pin lying next to her.

"Wait."

"What? I super got to go, the creepy voiced chick has stopped talking and I feel like I'm missing an important plot point."

"I want you to give Katniss this pin," she said seriously and ignoring the girl's hurry to get out, giving her the gold mockingjay pin.

"It was my aunt's and I always felt it belonged to Katniss. One time in assembly she sang the valley song and all the birds stopped…"

"Chica I'm sure that's an awesome story with riveting subtext but I need to jet. I'll give Katniss the pin. Although I'm not sure she's into any kind of jewelry," Nemesis said absent mindedly as she ran out of the house and to the town square.

Madge crossed her arms and huffed. She was stuck in the house until the Reaping was over and her father could come and check on her. She prayed that the odds would not forsake them because of an ill thought of plan for what, she wasn't sure.

She looked at the mega-screen planted for the excess of District 12, her heart sinking as she saw a familiar little blonde girl make her way to the stage. It nearly jumped out of her chest when a grey eyed huntress in a pretty blue cotton dress stepped forward and spoke the words that would echo through the history of Panem.

"I volunteer! I…I volunteer as Tribute!"

**A/N: And I'm a jerk for leaving on a cliffhanger. But it felt like a good place to stop so I hope you guys like it.**

**Happy Reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. **

Nemesis rushed through the attendance table, the Peacekeepers easily fell for her "I just pricked my finger on my pin and here's my blood from my handkerchief" ploy and she was certain magic wasn't even needed to convince him. Who in their right mind would pretend to be another citizen?

Her plan was just crazy enough to work.

By the time she got to the section containing her age group, there was a commotion between the Peacekeepers and who she saw was Gale and Prim. The young blonde was bawling her eyes out as the hunter held her up and walked away from the stage. Katniss was slowing making her way up to the frightful woman in pumpkin orange. She rushed to the two, wondering what just happened.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. What happened?" she whispered.

"Nemesis! You need to stop them! You have to…" Prim wailed out but the Slayer quickly quieted her by placing her hand over her mouth. The young girl was so worked up that black started to seep into her roots so the older blonde absorbed some of her powers and felt the rush of extra magic. She wouldn't be surprised if her eyes were completely dilated and she tried to control the urge to laugh in euphoria.

Gale was shocked for two reasons. One, Nemesis was wearing the dress he saw on Madge earlier; and two, what did Prim think the outsider could do to help? And to shout it out in front of Peacekeepers was especially foolish. He stayed strong and steady even though his world was falling apart. The girl he loved walked to her possible doom and all the escort could do was coo about how Katniss was the first volunteer ever in the history of District 12.

Nemesis turned her head as the cameras panned back and forth from Prim to the stage, wanting to take in all the drama of a sister sacrificing herself; she hid behind her golden hair as to keep her face from being noticed. The wrong sibling was on stage but the plan could still work. She could still sneak onto the train and save Katniss and the others. She wouldn't let them fall for the entertainment of others.

Through the veil of her hair, she saw that every citizen - Merchant and Seam alike – pressed their first three fingers to their lips and extended towards the huntress. The entire coal district was quiet and Nemesis knew it was a profound moment. Katniss stood by the overdone woman, her eyes wet but adamant about appearing strong. The Slayer didn't know what the gesture meant but she knew that they all recognized the sacrifice the elder Everdeen sister had made.

The Slayer felt the buzz of magic and wanted nothing more to fly above the crowded and release the excess energy. She grew impatient and wanted the horrifying woman to get on with the show and stop making such a display of choosing a male Tribute.

"And the male Tribute for the 75th Hunger Games and 3rd Quarter Quell is…Peeta Mellark!" Effie Trinket said jubilantly, hoping perhaps another volunteer would surface. She was never happy to be in District 12 but that Reaping was her best yet. Not only did she have a volunteer, something that never happened in the outliers, but Haymitch Abernathy was almost sober. He was definitely still drunk from the night before but he was also almost hung-over which was on the path to sobriety. She would take the small blessing when she got them. Last year he had fallen off the stage, that year he was content to nurse a thermos full of soup and stare daggers at her. It was beyond impolite but still a vast improvement.

The District drunk wanted to comment how the girl had spunk but he was more interested in ignoring the brightly colored woman and drinking his soup.

"Tyche, you bitch," Nemesis cursed the goddess.

"_The river flow where it may_," the voice of the long gone Slayer passed through her mind. The dream was revealing itself to her. Katniss would win the Hunger Games and Peeta would die. At some point, probably the year before if Prim's dream was prophetic, they were supposed to be Reaped but her presence or the chaos magic that sent her there had disturbed it somewhere on the time stream. Now the Fates were correcting the mistake.

"_Well fuck Fate,_" Nemesis thought to herself. "_I've changed it before and I can do it again._" There might be a destiny and higher powers shuffling them around but nothing was set in stone. Destiny was only a plan but plans derailed all the time. How many foreseen Apocalypses had she helped divert? How many gods had she and her sisters challenged and won? She didn't care what dreams she had or power she had to bow down to, she would not let them die.

She took deep breaths and rubbed Prim's back to comfort the still crying girl. They still had the plan. The inclusion of Peeta didn't matter. She'd sneak onto the train and save them no matter what.

"Now for the rule for the Quarter Quell, isn't this exciting?" Effie twittered to the crowed, truly thrilled by the events. She shook the worn envelope in her hands as if she was about to unveil a lucky winner of the lottery or a secret auction. Never once did the Capitol born escort act as if children were about to die. She only acted as if it truly was a game to be enjoyed by all.

She slowly broke the brick red seal of Panem and pulled out an aged piece of parchment and read,

"The chosen Tributes must choose another Tribute to join them in the Hunger Games. For every rebel that recruited another member, they were condemning them to death. You will have one minute to choose another Tribute of the same gender or else your next closest sibling in age will be selected as in the Dark Days, brother fought against brother. If you do not have a sibling then your closest relative or neighbor of Reaping age will be chosen. If you live in the Community House and have no relatives then the child closest to you in age at the House will be selected. Your minute starts…now!"

A digital clock with sixty seconds appeared on screen and the time to contemplate who they'd pick counted down.

Both Peeta and Katniss looked as if they were going to be very ill.

Katniss Everdeen remembered a time when she was chased up a tree by a bear. Eventually she fell from that tree and the feeling of weightlessness as the world rushed to her was revisited when she volunteered. Now that she had to choose someone she would later have to kill, she felt more like when she ate a rabbit that wasn't cooked long enough. The fever that racked her body and the cramps that strangled her stomach were nothing compared to the task of choosing a Tribute. No one deserved to go into the Games; certainly no one from the Seam, whose life was hard enough struggling through hunger and living day to day. No one from the Merchant Quarter either, they were too soft for something like the Games; last year was proof of that. The decision would be so much simpler if she hated someone but she didn't; the most she felt was a detached sense of resentment. It'd also be easier if there was a bad person in the bunch but there weren't. They were all just kids. There were some mean and nasty Merchant kids but that didn't mean they deserved to die. She started to panic as the seconds ticked down. She couldn't choose someone to die but she couldn't let her sister enter the Games either. She gladly lay down her life for her sister but sweet, gentle Prim who couldn't kill a rabbit for food wouldn't be able to bear something as evil and twisted as the Games.

What could she do with an impossible choice? How could Effie Trinket enjoy much less even smile when choosing a Tribute while Katniss felt like her stomach wanted to escape her body.

A name started to echo through her head and wouldn't relent. A name of her only friend other than Gale and she couldn't believe she could even contemplate it. A light pressure built behind her eyes and she had only ever felt that way once before and she fought it harder than the last time.

She knew she had to choose someone but she would not choose **that** name.

Katniss blinked a few times to ease the pressure that turned into pain, light starting to hurt and she began to feel the pulse of her heart in her head. The pain became unbearable and she gave into the urge and hated herself as the name escaped her mouth.

"Madge Undersee!"

As soon as the name was uttered, the pressure stopped and the pain started to abate. The crowed collectively gasped as the name of the Mayor's daughter was spoken.

Nemesis was thankful for the power boost she took from Prim because she was sure the resistance Katniss put up would have crippled her. Blood started to run down her nose and she placed the already bloody handkerchief to her nose, trying to be as graceful as she thought a Mayor's daughter would be.

"_Well my 'sneak onto the train and have no one see my face' plan is shot to shit,_" which she wasn't that surprised because plans never work anyway.

Prim's face went from anguished to completely befuddled as she could not believe everything she and Nemesis had laid out crumbled before their eyes. She felt as if there had to be someone purposefully setting obstacles in her way for things to go so wrong so quickly.

She was probably right.

Anger set in at the unfairness of it all. The odds were not on their side and Nemesis wasn't reacting at all. Her eyes started to darken with the need to do something, anything to stop her sister from going into the Games but the power that began to build waned as the elder witch absorbed it from her.

Nemesis shook from the second power boost and all caution was thrown to the wind as she lost herself in the magic high.

"Jasper Grossier" Peeta said so lowly that if not for the microphone, no one would have heard him.

A tall nondescript boy from the Merchant class betrayed no emotion as he made his way to the stage.

Once again the crowd stilled and no one could understand the Tributes' choices. The Seam was glad on a deep level that it wasn't their children being sacrificed, at least not all of them, that year. The Merchant class felt what it was like to have to see their children in the Games for the second year in a row.

"Yeah, Hunger Games!" Nemesis shouted as she ran, not walked, to the stage. She had brushed past Jasper who looked as if the girl had to be mad.

Mad indeed, as no one ever in the history of the outlying Districts had ever been jubilant to be part of the Games.

"Here, hold this," the fake Madge said as she threw her bloodied napkin at a random Peacekeeper and quickly took the microphone and started to walked about the stage.

"I just have to say, it is an **honor** to be chosen as one of the Tributes for the Quarter Half-time show. I will represent my District, because I'm Madge Undersee, with honor. It does good to my honor for your honor to **add** honor…" she babbled rapidly and incoherently.

The entire District froze in fear as half of them knew, especially the two Tributes already on stage, beyond a shadow of a doubt that the girl in the ill fitting dress was **not **Madge Undersee. The Peacekeepers were still under the influence of the tonic so they did not sense anything was out of the ordinary. If the tall blonde girl said she was Madge then she had to be.

The Seam residents were perplexed at her behavior but they were still under the impression that the girl was the Mayor's daughter. The real Madge wasn't in the crowd and they hadn't seen her in person since the last Reaping so they assumed she had a growth spurt and was who she said she was.

The Merchants, however, very well knew the girl wasn't who she said she was. Some knew her as "Mari" and others simply as the "girl who worked in the bakery." They looked nervously to the Peacekeepers, wondering if they would make an arrest and the entire District would be punished. But they did nothing and they didn't know why. They then looked to see where the Head Peacekeeper was; surely Thread would become his draconian self and put a stop to the farce. But he and his closest soldiers were nowhere to be seen, they remembered an early morning announcement that they were all feeling unwell and quarantined, safely hidden away from cameras.

No one of authority was admitting the charade and those who knew were too afraid to say anything.

Only one woman, Mrs. Mellark, was happy at the incident.

"_I'll be rid of the wretched girl and her busybody ways_," the baker's wife thought snidely. She didn't have an ounce of concern for her youngest son as they still had the other son at home to help with the breads.

Effie was pleased as punch that _finally _a Tribute had the right attitude towards the Games, albeit very a confused Tribute. She didn't care for the girl's ill fitting attire but that could be easily rectified with the many luxurious garments that awaited them on the train.

Haymitch rolled his eyes thinking District 12 had its first insane Tribute and wondered if the Mayor's daughter, who looked taller to him than usual, had gotten into her mother's morphling. A long forgotten feeling of guilt rose up in his throat as he knew another member of the Donner family tree would be clipped too soon. The large grocer's child and the Seam girl both wore bewildered and latently hostile scowls on their face while the stocky blond male stood there awkwardly; he smiled as if he didn't have an idea of what was going on and didn't know what else to do. None of them would survive, he could tell from the start, and he needed a strong Capitol drink or seven.

Ms. Trinket delicately walked towards "Madge" in her impossibly high heels and placed her hands on the Tribute's shoulders,

"It's so refreshing to see a Tribute…" she didn't get to finish as Nemesis pushed her away, not wanting to be touched by the evil Joker woman.

"Get out of my screen shot," Nemesis said meanly as she pushed the woman off of her and into the Mayor, and then smiled nicely at the camera while she did various vogue poses.

Effie was quite shaken at the sudden violent shove but even more so when the girl kept talking as if nothing had happened.

"Like I was saying, I will gladly go kill other children for your amusement. I shall be the killingest killer of them all. I will…"

"Alright dear, it's time to escort you into the Justice Building," Mayor Undersee said nervously, keeping up the charade and hoping to the odds that his daughter was safe.

"Dad! Hey, everyone this is my dad because I'm Madge Undersee," the girl then dissolved in a fit of giggles and was shepherded into the building.

Effie Trinket tried to gather as much dignity as she could but even when the Tributes had the right attitude, District 12 was barbaric and she couldn't wait until she was promoted to a civilized area.

* * *

><p>They were all taken to separate rooms and told they had an hour to say goodbye to family and friends. The idea being that it wasn't expected for them to win and they were given a chance to give final words.<p>

Nemesis really liked how soft the velvet curtains felt. She clawed at them like a kitten and brushed it against her face.

"Dear…I hope that you are safe and will do well in the Games," Mayor Undersee said slowly, careful not to startle the girl too much lest she lash out like she did with Ms. Trinket.

Nemesis understood what he really wanted to know.

"Oh I'm fine. I feel safe as safe can be…almost as if I were in my bedroom without a scratch on me."

The Mayor let out a breath of relief. He didn't know what the girl was thinking but at long as his family was safe, he wouldn't question - at least not out in the open where Peacekeepers could hear – why the girl was taking his daughter's place. A life in hiding was better than going into the Hunger Games.

Half an hour had passed in silence as the Slayer was perfectly happy watching her hand move and the Mayor had nothing else to say. He was relieved when Prim Everdeen had requested to see "Madge" and he could finally go home and check on his family.

"I don't know who you are but thank you," he whispered into her ear as they made an expected show of hugging each other goodbye.

"You smell like strawberries," she replied, her eyes as big as saucers and he left in a hurry.

Nemesis saw that Prim's face was puffy and red from crying. The girl looked exhausted as well, which wasn't surprising as she had taken a lot of her energy so she wouldn't betray her magical ability.

"You can't hurt Katniss, I won't let you," she demanded as soon as Mr. Undersee left the room. "I invoke the blood of our coven…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't be invoking blood magic. Not cool," Nemesis said dazedly, the gravity of what Prim was trying to do was enough that it pierced through her high.

"You need to promise me that you won't kill my sister."

"I'm not going to kill anybody. Jeesh, chillax. I got this…do you have any food on you? I'm starving."

"How in all of Panem do you 'got this?' Our plan has completely derailed and you're drunk off of magiks. Your face is going to be all over the news and the cameras are going to be on you every minute until death in the arena. What exactly is the plan now?"

"See, that's where we went wrong. We tried to plan for something and as everyone knows, plans don't actually work. Ever. You plan things and then God laughs at them and then everything goes to hell when you get there. It's a known fact."

"So what are we going to do?"

"**We** aren't doing anything. I'm in this, you aren't. You stay here and take care of your mother and the Hawthorns. Don't do anything stupid, like do magic to try to save us."

"How can you ask that of me? Katniss is going to be…"

"Be my responsibility. I'm not going to kill her or anyone else. You can't risk yourself or me for that matter by trying to be Harry Potter."

"You can't expect me not to try to help. I have powers, I can almost fly now…"

"And what do you expect to do? Fly to the Capitol? And then what?"

"I thought you said plans were stupid and weren't worth doing."

"I'm fairly certain I didn't say all of that and don't use things I say against me. But anyway, there's adapting to the situation and then there's stupidly going in battle completely unprepared. You are just one girl against an army. There are limits to our powers and we can't just start going in and fucking things up. Trust me, magic isn't the answer to everything; especially when guns are involved and from the big ass ones I've seen Peacekeepers lug around, Panem has a very well equipped military."

Prim wasn't convinced and she had the look of "I'll stop talking and plan on ignoring your advice later" look that Nemesis was all too familiar with as she had worn it many times.

"OK, then how about I give you that blood oath? I'll swear to protect Katniss and you swear not to use magic to help us."

The younger girl pressed her lips together and thought hard on the offer. It was tempting but she desperately wanted to help. She wasn't a child anymore and she was tired of everyone treating her as one. She was capable of helping, what good was all that Nemesis was teaching her if she couldn't use it?

"You'll swear to get her out of the arena alive?"

Prim chose her words carefully and purposefully. She knew it might not be enough to just have Nemesis protect her sister. She had seen many meek Tributes turn on the other when their life was on the line and she had been taught to be as clear in her wording in regards to magic. There were ways around even blood oaths; she didn't want to leave the option for the older blonde to have someone else kill her sister or in the more likely event, the girl got careless and Katniss died from an accident. With having to promise to get Katniss out of the arena alive, Nemesis would be forced to be more diligent.

The Slayer was impressed by Prim's pragmatic approach and conceded to the agreement. She was going to protect Katniss and get the huntress out of the Games anyway but her main goal was to make sure Prim didn't do anything foolish. People who knew magic tended to get careless and feel invincible when they didn't realize that it was a lot faster to get shot than it was to say a spell to protect them.

Nemesis took the mockingjay pin meant for Katniss and pricked both of their fingers. They said their vows and a white light burned brightly between their joined digits and disappeared into their bodies. They both shook at the wave of power that bound them to their words.

"Don't fret Piccola, a sister of these tears shall not perish," Nemesis said to comfort her friend and wiped away the fresh tears that came from her eyes. Even though the older girl was bound by magic, Prim was frightened for her sister and what was to come.

"Go, your mother probably needs you."

Prim agreed and left Nemesis to her thoughts.

There was still fifteen minutes left of her farewell time and she really wanted something to eat. Magiks high gave her the munchies.

"Shit, fuck the Games. I'd kill for a Twinkie right now."

She wondered if anywhere in Panem had Doritos and to her surprise, Gale came through her door. He looked more defeated than anyone she had seen in her life and she knew he had just come from seeing Katniss.

He looked at the blonde and struggled with what to say. He had no problem telling Katniss to find a bow and if she couldn't then she had to make one. He knew she had what it took to win and he didn't care how she did it as long as she came home. Looking at the easygoing blonde, he still wanted his secret love to win but he did regret that it had to be at the expense of someone he considered a friend's life. He didn't want anyone to die but he did wish that maybe Nemesis had stayed hidden and the real Madge take her place.

"Soo…" Nemesis began, trying to fill the silence. "How about some send off sex?"

The tension broke when he let out a horse laugh. Leave it to her to only think of sex before going to a death arena.

"Come on, I could die in a week and you won't put out? That's so mean."

His smile stopped when she reminded him that he probably would never see her again.

"That's not funny," he said going back to his usual gruffly self.

"It's a little funny."

There was a pause before he got the courage to say what he wanted to say. He'd missed Nemesis, he really would. But when it came down to her or Katniss, he'd always choose Katniss. He hated that he was trying to manipulate the girl into laying down her life but he needed to do whatever it took to get the advantage. The blonde had never shown any type of talent for hunting or fighting but he still had the odd curved sword she had on her when he first found her. He couldn't risk underestimating her and putting the grey eyed huntress in danger. There were still so many things he didn't know about her and that ignorance could be dangerous.

"She saved your life once."

"Yeah I know. I haven't forgotten."

"She saved your life and risked hers…you can't…you can't…you have to," he tried to finish but the words got stuck in his throat.

"Relax Big G. I don't kill people," she said, knowing where he was going. Part of her insulted that everyone seemed to think she could so easily turn into some kind of killing machine.

"_I'm a good Slayer, damn it. I'm not Simone for Christ's sake._"

"You're not going to have a choice," he pointed out, his tone dark.

"There's always a choice. That's the burden of choice when faced with two impossible options. We may hate ourselves for either way we choose but I own the choices I make. I'm going to choose **not** to kill people."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It is, for me at least. Look if it makes you feel any better, I already had this conversation with Prim. I promise to get Katniss out of the arena alive."

"You mean…?" he couldn't finish, he dared not hope that she had planned to sacrifice her life for Katniss.

"I mean what I mean."

Gale believed her. He didn't understand how someone could refuse to kill even with their own life at stake but Nemesis had always been very strange and not of Panem. He felt better about Katniss' chances. He wasn't sure how much help she could be but at least there would be one less Tribute out for the eldest Everdeen's blood.

"So about that send off sex, I can't help but noticed you didn't actually answer."

Again, Gale let out a laugh at the girl's one track mind and as much as he was tempted to fulfill her request, his heart belonged to the girl down the hall and he knew it wouldn't be fair to either of them.

"Ummm no. I'm going to have to decline. Very flattered though."

"Whatever, you're missing out. And stop acting like some blushing virgin because we both know you and a couple of the girls about town have been to the slag heap."

Again, Nemesis managed to wipe the smile off of Gale's face in mere seconds.

"How did you even hear about those?" he scowled and worried that Katniss had also caught wind of his trysts before he realized his feelings for her.

"Those town girls act all prim and proper but they are some gossipy bitches, I'll tell you what. Share some cookies and they spill theirs."

"Who was talking?"

"Leevy, Bristol, that chick with the huge ass, the other chick with tiny elf hands…"

"Beckly and Madison. She does have weird hands," he said of the latter.

"I know right? Weird little T-Rex hands," she demonstrated with keeping her elbows in and motioning her arms as if they were a lot shorter than they were.

"What?" he had no clue what she was talking about, how he usually felt around her.

"Never mind. Ahh…so you do not deny the accusations. Do tell."

"I'm not telling you anything."

"Come on, you won't have sex with me but you will with them and not tell me about it? You're the worst friend ever."

"I never had sex with them…we just…played around a bit. Are they saying I had sex with them?"

"Yeah, they're painting you as this mega whore. So you guys just made out and did some heavy petting? So disappointed."

"What?"

"You know, kiss a lot with tongue and your hands went to naughty places."

Gale really hated Nemesis' suggestive raised eyebrows and lascivious smile.

"You mean kayed and got handsy."

"No I meant what I said. Your slang is stupid."

"Our slang? At least ours makes sense. Making out is kaying? What exactly are we supposed to be making and out to what?"

He knew it was stupid to get worked up about colloquialisms but he wanted to at least point out once that Nemesis didn't make sense and it wasn't him. She was the crazy one, not him.

The blonde didn't argue but smiled at the raven haired hunter. He realized that she didn't care about terms but wanted to get his mind off the tragic circumstances. Even if it was just for a moment, he appreciated that she made him forget that she was about to die and they talked like normal friends who had nothing better to worry about.

A Peacekeeper poked his head in and told her she had to wrap things up and be escorted to the cars that would take them to the trains at the very end of the District. They could walk it but Effie Trinket would never entertain the thought of possibly getting her stilettos dirty.

"I'm sorry," was all Gale could think of saying and really mean it.

"Don't be sorry, ain't nothing happen yet. Save your sorries for when you really need them."

She then took the necklace he had seen her wear every day since the day he found her off and placed it around his neck.

"This is very important to me. I'm going to need you to make sure nothing happens to it."

He got a close look at the pendant that hung on a simple leather cord. It was a stylized wheel with spokes on one side and words in a language he didn't recognize on the other.

"What does it say?"

"Audaces fortuna iuvat: Fortune favors the bold."

"And there's no one bolder than you."

"You know it. Seriously though, if you lose it I'm going to literally fly back to 12 and beat your ass."

Those where Nemesis' last words to him as she skipped out of the room and hummed a happy tune.

"She really is bonkers," he muttered to himself as he shook his head and walked out of the Justice Building.

**A/N: Yay, another chapter down. I want to give a shout out to Guest and Hullo Guest for their reviews of my Glimmer fic "For Want of A Ring." Normally I give shout outs to guests or members that have disabled messaging with next chapters but since it was a one shot, I figured I could at least do it here. **

**For Hullo Guest, I wasn't planning on a GlossxCashmere one shot but if I get the inspiration for it I definitely will. **

**I do recommend people check out my other fics "Broken Promises" and "For Want of a Ring" because they will tie in with this story. **

**Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I hope to have another one up later this week if not a couple of days. **

**Happy Reading!**


	15. Chapter 15

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

**Unbeta'd and all mistakes are my own. **

The fake Madge had been led to two cars that looked like remodeled Ford Model Ts.

The woman with the creepy voice was waving to her to get into the car with Katniss and she was not having that.

"Yeah, so not driving in the same car as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Sorry Peets," she said to Peeta as she stopped him from hopping into the car with Haymitch and Jasper.

The baker's son didn't know what to do and Effie was fuming that Mari was so insubordinate. She suddenly had a mile wide smile and told Peeta to get into the car. She regaled the two with the wonders of the Capitol as they made their way to the trains.

Nemesis felt bad because she was sure the vapid woman was talking their ears off but she'd much rather be in the car with the town drunk and the silent Tribute. She got a good look at who Peeta had chosen and wondered what made the young baker choose him. Peeta didn't have an enemy in the world so picking someone must have been difficult for him. Jasper was pale like most of the Merchant children, more of a dirty blond than the others. Freckles were splattered over his face but not too many as to deter from his looks. He wasn't the most handsome of the bunch but he wasn't unfortunate looking either. What caught her eye was his long stature and obvious muscles. He must have gained them while hauling the heavy fruit and vegetables bins that came from District 11. He was probably about on par to Peeta in terms of strength and she couldn't think of any hostility she had witnessed or heard about between the two.

"_Curiouser and curiouser._"

"What happened sweetheart? Was the tailor drunk when he took your measurements?" Haymitch mocked her.

She knew he was coming down from his booze so she didn't take his insult too personally. The dress wasn't made for her body type.

"I had a growth spurt, dick."

"Really now? You grow everywhere but your chest?"

"Excuse me? I happen to be a very respectable almost full B cup now shut up or I'll cut you."

The rest of the car ride was in a tense silence and they were at the train station before they knew it. There were cameras and Peacekeepers everywhere. Nemesis thought it was for the best that she was chosen because she couldn't see an obvious way to board the sleek silver locomotive without being noticed or at least caught on camera in the background.

There were already reporters swarming around them. They were unusually excited for the Quarter Quell, the odd behavior the Mayor's daughter exhibited, and the first ever volunteer for 12. Katniss and Jasper just wanted to get on board and escape all the attention. Peeta took it all in stride and cordially smiled.

Nemesis ate it up like a fat kid with cake. She was still reeling from the boost from Prim and with her normal outgoing nature; she was a reality star in the making.

At least that's how she pictured it in her head.

She was the last one to go into the steps into the train when she turned to the cameras and gave a wicked smile.

"I just say I cannot wait to get to the Capitol. I'll get to straighten my hair and dye it pink."

"I think pink would look ravishing on you!" an excited reporter with green teeth exclaimed.

"It would, wouldn't it?"

"Oh is straight hair coming back into style this year?" another questioned.

"I don't care, I like what I like."

"Do you have any words before you board the train?"

"Yes. My bags are packed, I'm ready to go. I'm standing here outside your door. I hate to wake you up to say goodbye."

They all were stilled into silence, not because the girl had an exceptional singing voice – it was so so – but because she was singing at all.

"But the dawn is breakin' it's early morn. The taxi's waiting', he's blowin' his horn. Already I'm so lonesome I could die. So kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you'll wait for me. Hold me like you'll never let me go. Cause I'm leaving on a fast train, don't know when I'll be back again…"

Her serenade of an unknown song was quickly cut off as she was roughly grabbed by her disheveled mentor and dragged into the train.

All Capitol reporters cursed they were so far out in the country that they couldn't use their cellulars to communicate back home. The footage would be cleaned up then edified for viewing later on that evening but they couldn't wait until they told everyone back home about the strange and novel Tributes from District 12.

Nemesis let herself be pushed into the compartment while the others sat down, all in various stages of accepting their fate. The taciturn Jasper stared at the plush carpet and seemed as if what was happening to him finally came through and he was not happy about it. Katniss was her usual grim self and she wondered if the huntress was already thinking of ways to kill her. Peeta was the wild card, he seemed determined with his brow set and already questioning Haymitch on what to do.

The baker's son immediately started questioning what their game plan would be and how to win. Haymitch, on the other hand, was not too keen on sharing his victory secrets.

"What do you mean? You're our mentor, teach us something," Peeta demanded when it was clear the man's mind was elsewhere.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa so eager. We just got on the train. Relax, have a drink…but not for you. It's not safe to mix morphling with liquor," he motioned towards Nemesis.

"Wait…what?" The Slayer asked dazedly and when he continued to speak in words she couldn't comprehend she stated, "You're giving me too many words to know."

Haymitch ignored her and rifled through the drink cart. Even though they were on their way to their most likely death, he was upset that there was no ice. He stormed off to find some elsewhere.

Nemesis' eyes widened at the vast array of food available to her. She had enough to eat while in 12 but she never had a chance to really indulge in fresh produce as it was scarcely available even to the rich. And when it was available it was local seasonal stuff of the Mid-Atlantic. She didn't realize how exotic a simple plum or banana could be to people who didn't have the luxury of having things shipped to them. She quickly gathered all the fruit that was available: grapes, peaches, oranges, bananas, pomegranates, and even a pineapple. She quickly bit into a succulent plum, the sweetness burst onto her tongue and it filled her with a sense of vitality that she hadn't had in a long time. Fresh anything was rare in 12 as refrigeration was almost non-existent.

Effie frowned at the greedy girl who had swiped all the fruit from the buffet and proceeded to stuff her mouth like an animal. She put on a cheery smile though because she knew it was a real treat for the poor children of 12 to have the privilege of experiencing the comforts of the Capitol.

"Two hundred miles per hour and you barely feel a thing," she informed the group, more than happy to boast of the advanced technology of the Capitol. "I think it's one of the wonderful things about this opportunity. That even though it's just for a little while, you get to enjoy all this."

She threw her hands into the air and motioned to the entire train and all its amenities.

"Yeah getting to sit on down cushions and drink from lead crystal goblets totally makes having to fight for my life and kill other children worthwhile," Nemesis said sarcastically, coming in and out of lucidity, as she plucked black grapes from their vine with her mouth.

Effie blinked at the blunt observation and wondered how a girl from District 12 knew by sight what the drink ware was made of. In the past the coal district Tributes, even the well off ones, couldn't tell silver from aluminum.

"I'm going to find where Haymitch wondered off to…probably the bar car," Effie ignored the unpleasant notion of the Games as death for children, as all Capitol citizens did, and primly walked out.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room as the blonde girl munched happily on exotic fares while the others figured out their next move. Peeta desperately wanted to berate Mari for not only putting herself in danger but making the Games that much harder. He'd hate to kill a friend but he couldn't let her harm the dark haired beauty he had loved his whole life. He needed to figure out her weakness but more importantly he needed to find out her strengths. She was stronger than she looked, he knew that for sure and she had some sort of sway over people; especially the Peacekeepers. While he was aware of Katniss' penchant for the bow, there had been plenty of past Tributes who used their charm to disarm their opponents and kill them with little to no effort or ability with weapons. That's where the danger lies with Mari.

"_If that's even her real name_," Peeta thought to himself as it sure as hell wasn't Madge, putting the pieces together. He looked at the dazed blonde, realized that he really didn't know her and that she wasn't being honest.

"Well, while it's super fun to sit in a dead silence with all of you I'm going to find a compartment and hope they have other clothes for me to wear. Laters."

With that, Nemesis walked out of the lounge car and went to find where she'd sleep for the night.

The others felt it was just as good idea as any and did the same.

Nemesis was in clothes heaven when she got to an empty compartment with a bed. The closet was filled with every imaginable style and color of clothing in mostly one-size-fits-all. She immediately disrobed and looked through her options. She forwent the brightly colored choices as it seemed the Capitol favored blinding neon and she preferred the darker set.

There seemed to be a somewhat Victorian trend with all the straight lines and corsets available so she went with something simple. She loved that they offered something other than her utilitarian sports bra and panties she had been wearing and luxuriated in the pretty lace underthings .

The bathroom was a bit trickier to figure out but since she had grown up in time where technology was always changing, she quickly adapted to the many buttons and knobs. She stood under the hot water for at least half an hour. She had set the aromatherapy feature to eucalyptus and spearmint, letting the invigorating scent penetrate her senses and ease the mounting tension she held due to her ill fated plan. The fate of forty seven other children rested with her. She was only one person but she had to do something to save them. She was too seasoned to naively think she could save all of them. The Tributes had spent all of their life thinking the Games were the norm and that they had to kill in order to survive. She hoped that they all had some resemblance of humanity and would choose to lay down their arms in favor of escape.

A pack was better than a lone wolf; she could only hope they felt the same way. She hoped that they would chose life over death; over riches and so called glory.

She prayed to God for the strength to do what was right and the wisdom to know what it was.

Nemesis also wondered how the others were doing back in District 12. She hoped that Chloe would keep her promise and protect the town while she was away. In return, she promised the other Slayer that she would do her best to find any books on magic that she could. If that failed then hopefully she could find a museum with magical artifacts; every so often in her time, a museum would collect something of magical value unknowingly. She could only hope that they did the same in Panem. If not then they would have to face the hard truth that they were never going home. She dealt with it better than Chloe but she felt a wave of sadness threaten to overtake her at the thought of never seeing her family again. She refused to cry as it was not the time for such things.

* * *

><p>By the time she was done and dressed, the others had already started dinner. She had walked in on the end of a scuffle; Peeta was on the ground holding his jaw while Katniss took a silver butter knife and stabbed right between Haymitch's fingers on the table.<p>

"That is mahogany!" Effie chided as she looked away from her mirror compact.

Nemesis wondered how in the world the escort was able to completely change outfits and coordinate matching teal wig and make-up in such a short amount of time.

She did not, however, wonder why Katniss was threatening to slice Haymitch's fingers off or the bruise that was forming on Peeta's face. Life in the Slayer dormitories had desensitized her to such things.

"Jeez guys, is the food that good?" Nemesis joked as she made her presence known and sat next to their mentor. She helped herself to generous helpings of the lamb chops and carrot soup. She was still too out of it to be angry that again, someone thought it was OK to hit her friend. She didn't know what it was about the guy but he seemed to make people think he was a punching bag.

Once again, Nemesis unknowingly made it abundantly clear there was something different about her. Not because she was eating uncouthly, perfect table manners were drilled into her since childhood, but because of the vast amount she could consume as well as her choice of dress.

"The vest is supposed to be worn over an oxford shirt," Effie offered as she was slightly offended at how little the girl was wearing. "Your hair is a lovely shade although straight hair is at least twelve seasons ago."

The blonde female rolled her eyes and ignored the escort's unsolicited advice. Nemesis wondered if Effie had ever given a genuine compliment instead of the backhanded ones she always gave. She knew very well the vest was generally worn over a shirt but she chose to wear it alone. She wanted to show off her skin after wearing long shirts for so long. There weren't cameras on the train so she felt comfortable glamoring her tattoos off, as she didn't want to explain to anyone where she got them. Her other attire consisted of simple black dress pants and black sandal stilettos. She also didn't care what the hair trends were, especially if they were clown afros. She liked her hair straightened and dyed, it reminded her of home.

Although a bit too much flesh, she did look like she belonged in the Capitol and Haymitch appraised the situation. It looked like at least three of the four had a shot after all.

Katniss wondered how she could walk in such tall frivolous shoes.

"Leave the pitcher," Nemesis said to the attendant as he poured whole milk into her glass. Startled but submissive he did as she asked. She then downed three glasses in a row of the white liquid and they were all convinced she would get sick.

"So are you guys going to tell me what happened or are you just going to stare at me like I'm in a freak show?"

"Oh…ummm…Haymitch and Peeta had a disagreement. Now you two be gentlemen and apologize."

Both scowled at Effie and looked at her as if she had grown a second and third head.

"Pssst!" Nemesis sounded at Haymitch as she poked his neck with two fingers. "No! Bad Haymitch. We use our words."

"Crazy girl," he muttered to himself as he took a drink and swatted her hand away.

"Fine, you guys want to know what to do? Stay alive."

He meant it to be sarcastic and to desensitize them from the fact that no one cared if they lived or died, especially those in the Capitol. He did not expect anyone to find his cruel joke funny but Nemesis couldn't help but snort and outright laugh at the strange coincidence.

"What is so funny?" Effie asked, tired of no Tribute taking things seriously. How was she supposed to be promoted if all of her charges couldn't behave properly?

"I think it's funny that I have gotten the same advice before…except his exact words were 'Don't die'."

"Why would anyone tell you that?" Jasper asked, speaking for the first time in hours.

"Believe it or not this is not my first foray into a battle to the death."

They all stared at her weirdly and convinced she was probably drunk. Never had a Tribute been caught drinking during a Reaping so she must have gotten something beforehand. How could a girl from District 12 be subject to a different death game than the Hunger Games? Obviously she was taking a tip from Haymitch and losing her wits to the white liquor.

"It does look like we got a couple of fighters this year. How good are you with a knife?" he asked Katniss, pretending that he never had a conversation with Madge.

The huntress didn't say anything but threw the butter knife at the wall. It landed perfectly between two boards and everyone was deeply impressed. Katniss kept her cool as she knew it was a lucky shot but wanted the others to think she was as adept at the knife as Gale was.

"Good shot Kit Kat. Drunky, you should be in super awe of her awesome skills."

"You?!" he said incredulously as she realized that the girl in front of him was the one who had been taking care of him all those months. Only one person ever addressed him as "Drunky."

"Me!" Nemesis said mockingly back with a smile as realization hit the mentor.

Another realization hit him; the girl in front of him was not Madge Undersee. The niece of Maysilee Donner would never step foot in his house nor take care of his affairs as she did. While he could barely ever bring himself to come face to face with the surviving Donner twin and her family, he knew Madge enough that the girl was quiet and introverted; the exact opposite of the spritely girl in front of him.

"Who are you?" he asked, uncaring if it was foolish to do so in front of others and especially the Capitol escort. Effie just rolled her eyes assuming his question stemmed from his alcoholism and he had forgotten already who his Tributes where if he even knew to begin with.

The three other teenagers froze as someone actually called the blonde girl out on the truth. Each had terrible visions of them all being executed as traitors for deceiving the Capitol.

"You can call me Nemesis."

"Oh what a wonderful nickname. I think it'll work wonders to endear yourself to the citizens, even if it's a bit old fashioned. Now you have to work on your eating habits. A lady never fills or eats a full plate. You all have such wonderful manners, not like the savages from two Games ago; they ate with their hands and got sick from the rich fair. It seems like you have the stomach for the gourmet delicacies the Capitol has to offer."

Katniss' scowl deepened at the mention of the previous Tributes. The chosen for the 73rd Games had both been children from the Community House, they rarely ever got enough food much less etiquette lessons to please the Capitol born escort. She then made it a priority to eat with her hands and wipe her fingers on the silk table cloth.

Nemesis filled her plate with even more food and dug in unabashedly as if the chaperone had never said anything. The others wondered how she could stomach such heavy food much less eat two plates of it. Even though the roasted chops with herbs were delicious; Peeta, Katniss, and Jasper felt a little green around the gills from eating the foreign food.

The cogs in Haymitch's mind started to work and he wondered how soon it would be that the authorities would find out. The girl, now that he thought about it, definitely wasn't from District 12. Her style and manner was apparent to that. Would the Capitol notice? That was the million coin question. As vapid as most of them were, President Snow was a completely different situation. The cruel man was hardnosed and could probably smell a traitor from several meters away, or pretend to smell one if the person was on the wrong side of his mood. The result would still be the same; an unfortunate accident here and there then problem was solved.

Still, maybe the girl would have a chance at winning; she had Capitol tastes and acted as if she belonged there. Why the girl would pretend to be Madge was beyond his understanding. If she wanted to be in the Games she could have just volunteered.

It was too late by then; they were already on their way so there was no going back. Even if he did report her, he was certain he'd be accused of treason. How could no one notice the girl wasn't the real Madge? How could an entire District be fooled? No one would believe him; he could scarcely believe it himself.

He was a survivor though, he'd figure out a way to stay alive.

After dinner they had watched the footage from all the other districts' Reaping. A monstrous blond boy from 2 had all but run to the stage to volunteer when it was time. He chose a boy similar in build with black hair. They appraised each other with something akin to respect and no one volunteered to take the second boy's place. Nemesis understood because if she were a normal person, she wouldn't try to go against the blond either. He was easily over six feet and looked as if he had trained as a Navy Seal since birth. The dark haired male was a close second.

The Slayer didn't notice the disparity until they got to the other districts. Besides 1, 2, and 4; all districts had children in varying stages of build. Most looked average for their age, all on the slight side with the exception of the boy from 11. From what Nemesis could tell, the districts closer to the Capitol had a vastly unfair advantage strength and size wise.

"Wait, what does 2 do?" Nemesis asked the group.

"They are in charge of Masonry. Really, Madge - I mean Nemesis, we should get used to calling you that if we want the nickname to catch on - what do they teach you in those outlier schools?" Effie reproved. Honestly what good was a district if they couldn't even teach their children the basics?

Nemesis hated the fashioned obsessed woman, who had changed into **another** brightly covered outfit for bedtime, and didn't feel an ounce of guilt for what she said next.

"Effs, you have a smudge right there," she pointed to a random place on the woman's face.

The insecure woman quickly whipped out her compact and began a fanatical search for the fabricated smear.

Convinced that would keep their escort busy for several hours she went back to studying the children that she would attempt to save. With each passing Reaping, her faith in what humanity had become started to dwindle. She knew that they all had beyond difficult choices to make but it was clear that some had very specific strategies in mind. Each Tribute, with exception to the ones in 2, had chosen visibly weaker children as the ones to go into the arena for them. They were only given a minute but in that minute most did not hesitate to select someone.

Their Game had already started and they were giving themselves the best chance possible. If they couldn't know who they were going against from other districts, at least they could choose Tributes they knew they could easily beat. Basically every Tribute chosen child came from the Community House and was malnourished.

The Reaped Tributes from 6 stood out in her mind. The boy chose first, he had no malice in his voice or eyes but looked utterly defeated. Like he wasn't choosing for strategy but because there was no point in whatever he chose. The boy he opted for was sickly yellow and obviously in need of medical attention. The Reaped girl had a look on understanding in her eyes and she chose a girl who looked just as sick as the boy.

Nemesis' heart broke at the small dark brown skinned girl from 11 who cried so hard her choice was barely decipherable. Finally someone had the right reaction, it was obvious the little Tribute felt incredible guilt for what she had to do but she loved her siblings enough not to let them go in with her.

She had had enough and refused to watch anymore. She didn't see who the huge ox of a boy from 11 picked and didn't need to see 12's as she lived it.

The Games had already turned half of them into monsters and the real trial hadn't even begun yet. She went to bed and hoped that some sort of divine being would hear her prayers as she was at a loss of what to do.

Katniss, Peeta, and Jasper along with the adults stayed to watch the rest of the commentary. They all flinched at the display Nemesis made but were happy that it seemed the Hunger Games hosts, Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith, ate up the outbursts.

"Wow, we have some feisty Tributes from 12 this year!" Caesar gushed.

"I couldn't agree with you more. We have real surprises from the coal district: their first ever volunteer and a first to show some real enthusiasm. I think the Quell is going to be the ones for the ladies to take. What do you think Head Gamemaker Heavensbee?" Claudius questioned their guest.

"Well it's hard to say just from the Reaping but I think we definitely have a unique set this year. You could tell the Tributes already had their head in the Game when they chose their fellow players. There were some interesting choices to say the least but they definitely are out for blood and to win!"

The crowd cheered at Plutarch's enthusiasm and commentary.

"So, what do you plan to do that will set you apart from your predecessor?" Caesar asked to move the interview along.

"Well I don't think anyone could really top the genius that was Seneca Crane. Before he met that unfortunate end of eating wild berries that turned out to be poisonous…"

"Yes, let that be a lesson to everyone. I'll stick to my delicious Capitol made foods," Caesar interrupted with an impish smile that had the crowd snickering.

"Hear, hear Caesar. But he truly was an artist, he taught me everything he knew and I plan on honoring his memory at this Quarter Quell."

"Is it true that you're using the same arena that was meant for last year's Game?"

"Yes that is true. It was too good of an arena to waste but we have some…surprises from the original Quell site that I think everyone will enjoy."

"Oh please don't be coy, tell us!" Claudius implored.

"No, no, no. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise; all in good time. But I will tell you all this…you are in for a treat."

The crowd groaned like a spoiled child that was refused candy but cheered at the thought of a grand surprise.

While various Tributes on trains or in fancy hotels all tried to get some sleep and enjoy their possible last days in Panem, the Capitol cheered for blood.

Nemesis had immediately passed out when she got to her bed. The abundance of food and finally coming completely off the magic high left her exhausted. She actually slept through the night, dreaming of a stone city and fire.

* * *

><p>Effie Trinket made her way through the Tribute's cabin, even her knocks were quick and light just like her speech, and woke them up for their last hours on the train.<p>

"It's a big, big day!"

Each Tribute slowly got out, very tired from the little sleep they were able to get but too nervous to try to lay in bed any longer. Only Nemesis stayed in her compartment, the escort unable to rouse the sleeping girl from her slumber.

The first thing the Slayer noticed when she woke up was a deep aching pain in every muscle all throughout her body. She felt as if she had after the first day of training as a Slayer at age ten, her weak body unused to such a rigorous workout. She was painfully aware of each and every muscle from head to toe as they cried out in protest at being moved. Her head pounded and her mouth was dry, recovering from a night of raging magic was never any fun. She managed to throw on a pair of slacks and had an attendant help her tie a pink corset, again with no shirt underneath but it showed off her toned arms. She placed several bangle bracelets on her wrist to cover her tattoos and her long hair covered her back so she was certain no one would see her mark of loyalty to the goddess of revenge or any other tattoo. The attendants never spoke a word so she was certain they wouldn't talk and if they did she'd do a quick glamour to cover them.

Despite her pain she made her way to the food compartment and saw that everyone had already began to eat. While stylish, Nemesis looked like death warmed over and plopped down onto the chair and laid her head down onto the table.

"Nemesis, you can't keep being so unpunctual. It's very rude, I tried to wake you up but all you could do was grunt at me; very unladylike…what are you wearing?!" the scandalized Effie exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" Peeta asked with genuine concern, stopping his conversation with Haymitch about how to survive the Games.

"No, not even close. Coffee please," she asked as she raised her mug in the air, hoping the liquid would magically appear.

An attendant immediately poured some into her cup and she quickly downed the entire mug much to their shock. The piping hot beverage did not seem to affect the Slayer and she was finally aware enough of her surroundings. She piled her plate full of pancakes and eggs, needing the bread and protein to get her hangover under control.

"Did you get into the white liquor or something sweetheart? Shouldn't touch the booze if you can't handle it," Haymitch said condescendingly.

"This isn't from the hooch, besides I can pre-game harder than you party."

They then bantered back and forth about who could out-drink the other.

"You should not encourage his drinking. Haymitch is your lifeline to sponsors. I cannot garner money for you for the Games, only your mentor can do that. So make light of it as much as you want!" Effie stormed out, finally frustrated with her charge enough to get out of sight.

"Don't know what got her bloomers in a twist, I already promised I'd be mostly sober to Mentor," Haymitch said as he rolled his eyes and drank from his cup which was mostly coffee.

Seeing that Nemesis was alright and after the awkward pause due to Effie leaving, Peeta continued on.

"How do we find shelter?"

"That's not all that important, you'll likely freeze to death first."

"Then I'll build a fire?"

"Only if you want to die even quicker. Fires attract attention, attention you sorely do not want in the arena. You really want to know how to survive?" he said, tired of all the wrong questions. Being somewhat sober had also diminished what little patience he had to begin with.

They all nodded; despite his perpetual drunken state, Haymitch was their best bet at staying alive and some advice was better than going in blind.

"You have to get people to like you."

It made sense to Nemesis. The Games were really no different than an audience participation reality tv show from her time. The Hunger Games were like a very messed up Survivor and The X Factor crossover. If the audience liked them, they got to go to the next round and survive another day. If they didn't, then it could literally kill them.

To Jasper and Katniss, the idea not only didn't make sense it was somewhat abhorrent to them. Why would they need such vapid idiotic people to like them? They didn't want anyone like the Capitol citizens to adore them because the brash populace obviously had no taste. They also knew that they were in trouble because they weren't sociable people. Their lives had been too hard to develop those skills.

Peeta's desire to learn all he could was derailed as he saw his first view of the Capitol. The vast stone city was safely nestled in the valley of a great mountain; a crystal clear blue lake lay in front.

"It's so big," the baker's son said in wonder. He had never seen such architecture or surroundings, having grown up in the small District 12 all his life and never venturing beyond its borders. With the run-down buildings and general unkempt feel of District 12, he didn't know man was capable of such magnificence.

Only Katniss and Nemesis knew the world was such much bigger. The former was still impressed by the magnitude of the surroundings but chose not to reveal any feelings if she didn't have to.

They traveled through a lit tunnel, dark grey walls blocking their view until they reached the stark bright white terminal. Hundreds of Capitol citizens gathered to see the Tributes arrive, a sea of people in a rainbow of colors, all smiling and cheering for their arrival.

Peeta donned a great big smile and waved to the public, acknowledging their presence. All pushed forward, hoping to get a closer look.

Nemesis followed suit, greeting the oddly dressed people as if she had known them her whole life. She even threw in a couple of blown kisses for good measure.

"You two may want to watch your back, they know what they're doing," Haymitch warned Jasper and Katniss.

**A/N: Hey guys, hope you enjoyed the chapter. If the train ride feels a bit rushed, sorry I just didn't want to spend a lot of time in that one scene. If it feels a bit distorted it was because I was trying to make the movie and book versions fit together as well as throw in what would have happened if there were two additional Tributes. Hopefully it's not all over the place and confusing. **

**Also, sorry for the delay. Got caught up in Sandy etc…**

**Just a heads-up, I am going to take a month or two hiatus on this story just so I can focus on my other works which badly need updating. I love writing this fic but I don't want to let the other stories die from neglect. I hope you guys can understand and be patient. **

**I love my readers way more than you will ever know and I really appreciate every favorite, follow, and review I get.**

**Happy Reading! **


	16. Chapter 16

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

They were ushered into dome shaped building, awaiting their assigned section, and for their team of stylist to be fully prepared. The adults left the Tributes alone to start their duties. Effie would talk with the team and debate what the best approach was while Haymitch would mingle with high class citizens who were aching to give away their coins to the best player.

Katniss and Jasper looked absolutely frightened at the cold sterile environment. Looking at what the Capitol considered beautiful, they feared what would be done to them. They were trying to follow their mentor's advice on complete submission but every cell in their body told them to runaway. Their teams were ready first and it was only Peeta and Nemesis left.

"Nemesis, huh?" Peeta asked, wanting to get the truth out.

"Yep, cool name right?"

"So your name isn't Mari? I know it certainly isn't Madge."

"Caught onto that did ya?"

Nemesis' smile disappeared when it was clear that her friend was in no mood for any games.

"Sorry I had to lie. I knew Nemesis wasn't a common name and I wanted to blend in."

"Is your name even Nemesis?"

"No, I wish my parents were that cool."

"So what is your name then?"

"I can't tell you. Where I come from, names are important. They are to be protected."

"Protected?"

There was a pause as more questions popped up in his mind. It was worse than he thought. Nemesis wasn't just pretending to be Madge Undersee, she was pretending to be a District 12 citizen. Why else would she need to "blend in?" Everything was coming in painfully clear to him; he always thought he saw her but it turned out it was more like she was always in the corner of his eye. He could see her but only in his peripherals, never truly looking her dead on until then.

"Who are you?"

"I'm someone you can trust and who will protect you no matter what."

"How can I trust you if you won't even tell me your real name?"

"How about I make a deal? If you guess my name, I'll tell you what it is."

"How does that help me trust you?"

"You're lucky if you get my real name ever, I normally don't even let people get as far as trying to guess. Look, I know that I lied and I'm sorry. I did it for your own good. Besides, I totally stopped your parents from treating you like Sonny McBeaty, I think I at least deserve the benefit of the doubt."

"My own good? Benefit of the doubt? What are they going to do when they catch you? The real Madge is still at 12 and I don't know if you're aware of this but it's obvious that you don't belong."

"Funny thing about the obvious, sometimes they're so close in front of us that we can't see it. You've known me for how long? Several months or so? And you never questioned where I was from, even when I did such strange things. Never did you think I was from outside of 12 or question anything that I told you about myself."

He wanted to argue but he knew she was right. She showed up at his bakery one day and he had never seen her before. He made up his own excuse as to why; he never asked her specifically why he had never seen her around. As many citizens of 12 there were, there weren't that many that he wouldn't have at least run into her once. But the idea of an outsider just showing up in 12 was so unheard of he believed the first convenient explanation he came up with. She was right, even though it was right in front of him, he didn't see it.

"Besides, if they're all like Effie they won't question it nor will they care. If it doesn't have anything to do with fashion, make-up, or promoting themselves they just don't care to know do they? Please Peet, trust that even if my name is a lie that I'm a good person and I'm not here to hurt anyone."

"Peeta Mellark," a woman in a tight blue spandex suit called, telling him his station was ready.

"Go Peets, time to get sexified."

He went but no doubt in his mind that Nemesis was hiding something, something that could be the end of them.

When Nemesis was finally escorted to her private section she immediately disrobed and lounged on the metal gurney they had available.

Three people who looked like they were clowns on an acid trip entered the curtained off area and she wondered if Effie was considered conservative for the Capitol. The absurd trio blinked in surprise that she had already stripped down because usually Tributes were very shy.

"OK, I don't know what Heath Ledger's the Joker School of Cosmetology you went to but there will be no…whatever it is that you did to yourselves done to me," Nemesis told them off the bat. While she was all for getting prettied up, she was not about to look like a member of the Insane Clown Posse.

"Oh…we were instructed to make you over to Beauty Base 3."

"I don't know what that is and I'm fairly certain I should be insulted but you will not get to any bases with me, beauty or otherwise."

"But Maximus said…"

"Look, either follow my directions for now and I'll take the blame with Maximus or I throw this sharp looking contraption at your face."

She held up a random object she had no idea did what and didn't want to know, they all looked at the others; trying to get an idea of what to do.

"You wouldn't…" but he was cut short when she made good on her promise. They all yelped like frightened Chihuahuas and huddled closer together.

"You won't get away with this, I'll tell…"

"Look dude, I'm about to fight for me life against other dudes twice my size and am willing to kill easily to defend myself. Do you really think I'm afraid of whatever you can do to me?"

Maximus's lacky's confidence faltered and he realized what she said was true. Never had he worked with a Tribute that had no fear of them.

"So let's make a deal. You do your makeover stuff and if it's something I don't agree to then you'll skip it and I'll deal with your boss. Comprehendo?"

They didn't but agreed with her anyway. The bits and pieces of the Reaping they caught had informed them that the Tribute was not exactly stable but nothing prepared them for the chaos she brought. She had spouted out orders, mostly doing with personal grooming and hygiene. What she wanted was beauty base zero, three steps below what they were ordered to do. She didn't want a high gloss shine on her hair, teeth pearlization, or the scar buffering treatment which she desperately needed.

They tried to reason with her, as gently as they could as they feared other projectiles flying towards their heads, but she dismissed their efforts.

"Doesn't matter, that scar is here to stay," she said of the jagged red healed over wound. It was a mark she got from a magical athame and those would not fade no matter what she tried. Perhaps with their technology it could be erased but she highly doubted it and didn't want to go through the hassle.

Each style technician winced at the imperfection, unused to such blemishes. They were, however, greatly impressed by the tattoos she bore. The bird wings were exquisitely done and complimented her on being so up to date on the latest fashions.

"I love the wing tattoos on your back," Tenuis, the male with the blue mustache commented, wanting to make conversation and he loved nothing more than the latest trends. "Feathers are all the rage this season…where did you get them done? I didn't think an outlier would be so fashion forward."

Nemesis had forgotten about her tattoos in the midst of getting her makeover. She quickly thought of an excuse, something that would allow her to walk around freely without worrying about glamours.

"Oh I didn't get them in 12…the train had a tattoo gun on hand. Peeta, one of the other 12 Tributes, was nice enough to do them. He's a really great artist"

It was a gambit but the train had every other fashion luxury and related Capitol technological product, why wouldn't it have a tattoo gun?

It seemed to have pleased her stylist crew as they all nodded in agreement. Why shouldn't they believe her? It was probably an everyday expectation to have every desire met quickly anywhere, anytime.

A tattoo gun on a train? Why not?

"Well he did an amazing job, such detail," twittered Brevia, the youngest of the group and most outrageously dressed. She was clothed in a pantsuit of neon orange that fanned out like a peacock and had her own geometrical tattoo etched up and down her arms. "What are the other tattoos of?"

"The one on my neck is an Eye of Horus, the ones on my wrists are Bible verses I live by, the tribal sun tattoo keeps demons from possessing me, and the other ones I got in various states of inebriation."

As Nemesis suspected, the Capitol citizens were too engrossed in their own daydreams that they only half listened to her. They nodded as if they comprehended but gave no indication that they actual computed what she was saying. She wondered why they bothered to ask questions if they were all going to ignore what she was saying anyway.

They didn't know what she was talking about but assumed it was some quaint District 12 customs and culture they weren't privy too.

As afraid of her when they started, they were soon charmed by her enthusiasm for the make-over.

On the other side of the building both Katniss and Peeta winced in pain as their technicians ripped their body hair out of their skin. Both took the pain quietly as they were instructed but every so often they would hear a "Yes! That's how I like it! Do it again!" from across the center. They knew instantly it was Nemesis making a spectacle of herself and wondered why she apparently got the pleasurable treatment while they had to suffer.

Nemesis was receiving the same wax treatment as them but being from America in the 2000's, she was used to such things and held being smooth and hairless as her own beauty standard.

"I cannot tell you how happy I am to finally be properly waxed. I felt like a bear coming out of hibernation."

The attendants were certainly having a ball. No Tribute, even ones from central Districts have ever enjoyed much less demanded a waxing before. The odd but thrilling Madge Undersee was a treat. She didn't want most of the standard treatments offered to Capitol residences but she wasn't a total savage. They found her to be quite charming and affable once she settled down.

They had waxed all the skin that would be shown on television and were about to pack up and move onto the next treatment when the Tribute stopped them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You guys aren't finished."

"What do you mean?" asked Niobe, the third technician who finally found her voice around the slightly demented Tribute.

The Tribute simply spread her legs wide and the three gasped in scandal. The girl couldn't possibly mean for them too…

But Nemesis smiled and nodded her head toward the apex of her legs. She did indeed mean for them to wax her **completely**.

"Get to it," the Slayer ordered. "I want to look like a nine year old girl."

They had never seen such a wicked grin.

"Come on guys…aren't scared are you?"

Only the youngest member stepped up, ready to take up the challenge and prove she wasn't afraid. She had never been more enthused in her life. What the Tribute wanted was salacious and downright outrageous. In a world where everything was so easy and boring, Madge Undersee was exciting. Not only would she wax the girl's sensitive area but she'd get her own done too. She'd be the first Capitol citizen to have such a waxing and would boast to all when everyone found out.

The Citizens loved nothing more than novelty. Scandalous novelty was even better.

* * *

><p>Later on that evening, Nemesis stood next to her chariot in a glittering black evening gown. She had forwent Cinna's suggestion of fake fire right off the bat.<p>

"_There's nothing to be afraid of, it's all fake fire…" Cinna gently told her._

"_I'm sure it is but have you ever been burned at the stake?" Nemesis asked._

_The stylist was taken aback, never had been asked such a question. He nodded "no" to the strange girl and wondered where the conversation was going._

"_Well I have, at least three times and it's no fun. So I appreciate your offer to show a more united front but I'm going to have to decline."_

_Cinna looked to the other Tributes, silently asking if the girl was serious. His own charge, Katniss, rolled her eyes and mouthed to him to just ignore Nemesis. _

Nemesis wasn't sure how much they believed her but in too many dreams had she died by immolation so she wasn't going to go through it again even if it was just for pretend. She did, however, like his idea of representing the coal of District 12 as opposed to the occupation of mining. She was inspired further by their insipid chaperone's misinformed believe that coal under pressure turned into pearls.

"Hey Kit Kat," she greeted the sour girl. "Nice outfit. I don't know if I should be spanked or ask you to take me to your leader."

Katniss merely looked even more dour and glowered at her friend. She was not happy to be paraded before the Capitol after been plucked and rubbed down like a chicken ready for the oven. The grey eyed girl was further annoyed that Nemesis had somehow convinced her stylist to dress her and Jasper up in formal wear; something she thought the Capitol would like but didn't understand what the black clothes had to do with coal or District 12.

"How did you convince your stylist to dress you up? I thought he and Effie were talking about putting sequins on the old coal miner's outfits."

"He's exceptionally weak willed and I have mind control powers."

"If you want to keep things secret fine but no need to be sarcastic about it."

The Slayer snorted at the irony of the situation. Every time she lied everyone believed her without question, only when she told the truth was she met either with suspicion or skepticism.

"I guess it's only fair that you keep things secret…it's not like more than one of us can win," Katniss said sadly as she realized that the Games had begun before she even stepped into the Arena.

"Fair my ass. You get the cool hot rock star stylist and I get one that's going to give me nightmares where he offers me balloons from a sewer and then pulls me in to eat me. Plus he tries to dress me in a minor outfit bedazzled to the point it'd make Liberache nut in his shorts."

Absolutely nothing from Nemesis' rambling made any sense to Katniss whatsoever.

"Don't frown Kit Kat, you'll get wrinkles."

Before the grey eyed girl could give a thorough tongue lashing to her friend, they were told to get onto their chariots as the Tribute Parade was about to begin.

Being last had its advantages, they could see most of the Tributes and their costumes ahead of them but those in front could not see those behind.

District 1 had the flashiest costumes. Two of them clothed and painted in silver and shined like the moon. Both taking in the praise like greek gods in their white togas. The next two were decked head to toe in fuchsia feathers, the female with a large plumage headdress. It was a bit garish for Nemesis' taste but the Capitol seemed to like it just fine, they especially liked it more than the "tame" all silver look.

District 2 opted to be completely uniform, perhaps showing who'd they be loyal to above all else. All donning bronze armor and winged helmets, every bit the gladiators of Rome. Even though Panem had no sense of the gods or any higher power, it seemed that the Greek and Roman influence still prevailed to that day. They all looked deadly and ready for combat.

Every Tribute trotted out in their costumes, all paying homage to their home district. Some pulled it off better than others. She supposed some stylist had no other imagination other than dressing some up as cowboys for the cattle district while others seemed downright mean by forcing their Tributes to dress in what Nemesis could only describe as pied jester costumes in the worst color and pattern combinations they could think of.

"Damn I feel sorry for the Tributes from District 8," Nemesis muttered to herself. Jasper paid no mind as he was doing everything in his power not to vomit from nervousness.

It was soon their turn and the Slayer steadied herself.

"Showtime."

She and Jasper went first. Katniss and Peeta would be several beats behind them. The coordinators wanted each and every pair to have a fair shot at impressing the crowd. So in the few minutes where it was just them coming out for the first time, it was their only chance to do something incredible or show off their outfits before the Citizen's attention was stolen away by the next set.

The crowd murmured to themselves, unsure of how to react to the first set of Tributes from the coal district. They had on fine clothes, a definite departure from the usual miner's outfits or even the naked option smothered with coal dust but they too did not understand how black tie ensembles had to do with coal mining.

Nemesis saw that they had the crowd's attention, now she just had to wow them.

Both she and Jasper hit a secret button they were given and as the chariot carried them, the wind started to blow away small strips of cloth from their bodies. It was as if the black cloth was dust and they were showing the true beauty from underneath.

Beneath their clothes they wore sparkling gems of pure white and they shone like the stars at night. The crowd went wild in appreciation and amusement. Normally District 1 showed off the precious jewels they manufactured but all could admire the ingenuity.

Diamonds came from coal after all, real ones at least.

Nemesis wasn't satisfied with how the costume was coming off so she decided to give them a little push.

"_Fiat Lux_"

From their chariot came a burst of light, each Tribute truly shining and it baffled Jasper as he had no idea his costume could do such a thing.

Maximus from the stands shook his head and blinked his eyes, he had no idea either that the shimmering cloth he provided his Tributes could illuminate as it did. When his peers started to congratulate him on such a job well done, especially with an outlier, he couldn't help but preen and take all the credit.

Yes, he was a genius.

Nemesis almost burned inside at their reaction. It was one she was trying to get but she remembered what they were cheering for.

They liked the ones who looked the most impressive and thought could kill until only one standing.

Well if they wanted to love them, she would force them to love them.

"_Atë, __me ta pódia se af̱tá ta anói̱toi. Spérnoun ton ólethro kai na tous methysménos me pathos."_

They screamed even louder and chanted "District 12!" They all shook in their seats; their excitement could not be contained.

Shining Tributes were impressive but not so much as ones on fire.

Although the crowd loved Nemesis and Jasper, they couldn't help but stop breathing when two Tributes came out while set ablaze.

Everyone all at once started to cheer with sheer abandon, not believing how incredible the Tributes looked and what they were able to pull off. They threw favors and tokens, all wanting nothing more than to show how much they loved them already. They loved so many of them, how were they to choose who to bet on?

Nemesis looked to one of the screens and her own breath hitched in her chest, her heart stopping. Not because Katniss looked beautiful, she thought she did, but because her dream was coming true.

Katniss was the Girl on Fire.

They were in a crowd of monsters who cheered for death and blood.

The blonde District 12 Tribute had to force herself to focus and continue to breathe. They hadn't gone into the Arena yet, there was still time to save everyone. She didn't care that it was obvious who the crowd favored from all 48 Tributes, it was good that Katniss get as much clout as she could.

Their chariots stopped at the heart of the city, a massive stone mansion stood in front of them.

After several prompts to become quiet, the usually obedient Citizens still cheered. They were too occupied with their love for their favorite Tributes to listen right away.

Still, the commanding presence of their President forced their hands and they eventually settled down.

A familiar face looked out to the crowd and welcomed the Tributes to the 75th Hunger Games and Quarter Quell.

It was the evil man from her dreams.

President Snow had a deep almost fatherly voice as he greeted his subjects, although there was a slight strain to it as he was irritated that he had to ask his Citizens more than once to calm down.

He brushed it off to mere overexcitement about the Quarter Quell; he did want them to love the Games.

How he could so soothingly talk about the eminent deaths of children, Nemesis did not know but she was not about to just stand there and listen.

As the President spoke about honor and victory, Nemesis said quietly under her breath and only Jasper could hear her,

"_Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."_

And with that curse upon President Snow, he spewed out words that no one understood. The President stopped talking as soon as he uttered the first foreign word, unsure if it was he that said it or someone interrupted him. He tried again, the same result happened. He looked very alarmed and so did every underling he had surrounded himself with.

The President could not be understood and he still had several paragraphs left of his speech. They all scattered and rushed him off stage. The crowd began to whisper, wondering what was happening. Soon the murmuring became a wave of white noise that threatened to shake the very foundation of the Capitol. They wanted answers and they would not be silent.

Every ounce of control Nemesis ever had was used to stop herself from collapsing in laughter.

Best. Prank. Ever.

The Head Gamemaker, Plutarch Havensbee, took the mike and control of the situation.

"Well folks, there seems to be a malfunction in the speaker system this fine evening. We do apologize and hope you all have a Happy Hunger Games!"

And that was all that would be said about the incident.

The Tributes were all herded to a hanger to undress and later be escorted to their suites in the Tribute Tower.

Effie couldn't contain how pleased she was with them, although it could possibly be part of the spell, and almost complimented them without a back handed comment.

"Oh you all did so well! I am so happy; I almost forgot you were from an outlier."

"_It's a spell, not a miracle_," Nemesis grumpily thought.

"You all did great, I think you guys just might have a chance at this," Haymitch crowed, no amount of spellwork could force him to give a complete adulation. He was so into getting his Tributes ready that he almost didn't notice the blonde District 2 male glowering at them.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he knew someone was watching them. His eyes made contact with the blue eyed male and he knew him to be dangerous. All Tributes from 2 were monsters in the field and Cato looked no different. The boy was out for blood and he did not want to be in his crosshairs.

"Let's get to our suite," Haymitch motioned to all of them to follow him and Effie started to gab on about how they got the top floor with the best view.

It wasn't until they were halfway up the building did he notice Nemesis wasn't with them.

* * *

><p>Cato smiled to himself, happy that he was able to intimidate the District 12 mentor; he scared the older male into retreat. As glad as he was at the display he was still unhappy that his Tributes had made such an impression.<p>

"I can't believe those dogs from 12 got such good stylists this year. We're going to have a word with Brutus about them. We can't have subpar help dressing us," glowered Clove.

He nodded in agreement, wondering if their mentor would strangle the strange stylist that obviously was incompetent or if he would have the honor.

His murderous thoughts were interrupted when a blonde girl took Clove's helmet she had sat down on a nearby table and put it on.

She wore a silver gown of glittering white jewels; he thought perhaps she was a Capitol Citizen granted special privileges to see the Tributes. He had never seen someone so happy to have a hat before.

Nemesis was too excited to have the helmet she coveted since seeing it on the 2 Tributes. She gave a little squee and gave jazz hands next to her face, showing off how good the hat looked on her.

"Tee hee hee, I'm Thor!"

Clove and Cato looked at each other, very unsure of what they were supposed to do. The light spell Nemesis had cast on herself had faded and she wasn't on camera for a long time, so they did not recognize her as a Tribute. As far as they knew, she was dressed as richly as any other Citizen. They also saw that she had tattoos on her wrists, cementing their assumption.

"Can I have this hat?"

"Sure," Clove said after a beat, as far as she was concerned, a Citizen could have whatever they wanted.

"Thanks! I thought you guys looked awesome by the way. Very Russell Crow's Gladiator."

"Okay…thanks?"

"No problem, what's with…a puppy!"

"A puppy?" Clove asked but the girl had rushed away already, next to another obviously rich Citizen who held a small ball of fluff that apparently was a dog.

Again, Clove and Cato looked at each other quizzically; they wondered if all Citizens were as strange.

They continued to observe the girl as they continued to take off their heavy costume, hoping that perhaps she would be one to sponsor them.

* * *

><p>"My, you're that District 12 girl…Madge Undersee right?" Vorena Eldus, the wife of one of President Snow's cabinet members. She recognized the Tribute from being in the crowd and having an unobstructed view.<p>

"Yes, may I hold your puppy?" Nemesis asked excitedly, itching to get her hands on the absolute cuteness that was the dog.

"Yes, isn't he fantastic?" Vorena said happily, proud of her possession and eager to show him off, she didn't even question why the Tribute was wearing another District's helmet. She was charmed at how much the girl obviously loved her dog and how much the dog liked the girl. The Tribute was not afraid to show affection to the canine, rubbing her nose to his and delighting when he gave her little puppy kisses on her nose.

"You are so cute, I could just…"

Her baby talk was interrupted when a hand grabbed her arm.

"Nemesis, what are you doing? Mr. Abernathy hissed at her.

"I'm playing with the cutest puppy in the world, aren't you the cutest? Yes you are!"

Haymitch suddenly realized who was in the audience and he stood straight.

"Mrs. Eldus, how lovely to see you. You are much to kind to let dear little Nem…Madge play with your precious pup."

"You called her Nemesis?" the older woman asked, thought it strange he would call his charge such an old fashioned name.

"It's a little nickname we gave her on the way over. The name suited her."

"It was my grandmother's name. I loved her dearly," Mrs. Eldus said, losing herself to nostalgia.

"And such a lovely one, with a granddaughter who also has a beautiful name."

Nemesis had to hand it to Haymitch. He knew how to smooze and he smoozed well from the fluttering eyes Vorena gave him.

"Now come along Nemesis, we need to get you to bed. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Can I keep the dog?" Nemesis asked innocently before she was dragged away.

Haymitch wanted nothing more than to drown in a pit of gin at that moment; he was so stressed from the outrageous question she had dared to ask.

"Keep him? My dear…" Vorena started but stopped when the girl's eyes started to fill with tears.

"Please? I might die in a week," she further implored and her lip quivered with sadness at having to be torn apart from the pup.

"…I…alright. You can keep him until you go into the Games," Mrs. Eldus broke down, unable to say no to such a face.

"Thanks!" she said jubilantly then bounced off towards the Tower.

Mr. Abernathy was completely floored that Nemesis was able to pull it off.

Vorena looked bamboozled and all Haymitch could do was smile and escape as fast as he could. He kept his smile up for all the gawkers who had witness what just happened until he got onto the elevator.

He couldn't help but noticed how incensed the District 2 Tributes he eyed earlier were when they figured out Nemesis wasn't a Citizen but a fellow Tribute that had duped them.

"_Damn girl is already making enemies,_" he thought to himself. It was going to take a lot to get her out alive and he contemplated putting his full effort into the stocky blond Tribute, Peeta. Out of all of them, the baker's son had the most potential. Katniss was too severe, Jasper was too invisible, and Nemesis was insane. Peeta was someone he could work with.

"That was a damn foolish thing to do girl, all for a mutt."

"Hey this isn't just any mutt. This is a pom/poodle/shih tzu or something mix. It's just too precious."

The dog then barked, or what it thought was a bark as it was more like a high pitched yap, in agreement. He liked his new mistress. She had genuine love for him unlike that haggard old woman who clung to her youth that treated him like a handbag.

"I call him Fluffer Nutter."

"Do you even know who you conned that dog from?"

"I don't know, Old McBitch? She's probably going to spend money on who will kill me the most. Excuse me while I don't feel bad for taking her dog away. Anyway, you should be impressed that I know how to cry on demand and guilt people into give me what I want. It's a useful trick."

That, he had to hand to her. She was right, with watery eyes and a well placed lip quiver she was able to get what she wanted.

Maybe she could win the Games after all. There was a lot more to her than her crazy behavior. Maybe there was a method to her madness. Some Tributes gained the upper hand by appearing weak, her angle seemed to be completely fanatical. Perhaps the other Tributes would want to avoid her at all costs and all she had to do was outlast them.

The Odds knew that he didn't want to be around her.

"Still, you're insane for trying."

"Hey I have a fabulous hat and literally the cutest dog ever whelped, who's insane now?"

"Still you," he asserted and stressed.

He needed a drink.

**A/N: And hiatus is over! Just a warning, updates are probably going to be a bit far in between because I am going to try to give each of my stories attention equally. My muse may or may not allow for it but I am determined to not let any of my stories die. **

**So I hope you all can be patient and enjoy the updates I do give.**

**Shout out and thanks to everyone who reviews, favors, and follow! Love you guys!**

**Happy Reading. **


	17. Chapter 17

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

Nemesis stood on the roof of the Tower and greeted the dawn. It was strange that even though she were in an alien land, so far away from District 12 and the time she came from that the sunrise was the same no matter where she went. The promise of a new day, where nothing was guaranteed and the day before was no more. She couldn't do anything about the past and she didn't know what was to come. All she knew was that she was there and she appreciated whatever time she had left.

No matter what happened, she would be grateful for the dawn.

She sighed at the beauty of the morning and wished the world was just as beautiful but it had somehow turned into something so dark and twisted. The Slayer looked down to her watch and saw that it was time for her first day of training. She was curious to see what the Capitol thought they could train children with no experience, at least most of them, in a week.

The Training Center was a massive underground room below the Tribute Tower. Each section was dedicated to specific parts of their training: Obstacle courses to ascertain each Tribute's physical standing, weapon stations for practice, nature cubicles complete with various vegetation, and computer modules to test for survival intelligence.

All in all a good crash course to ready them for two weeks or less of being in the elements; too bad most if not all would forget the majority of what they learned when they cowered in fear of their imminent death.

Nemesis almost laughed at what a complete joke the whole thing was if not for the fact several children would die for this farce.

In a perfect world, the perfect heroine would easily save the day, all innocents survived, and the bad guys got their just desserts.

Panem was far from a perfect world and she far from Superwoman or Buffy.

Her heart constricted in her chest as she saw the youngest Tributes, both thirteen, standing side by side in the front row. One was a boy with curly hair and cerulean eyes and the other a girl with dark brown skin and doe brown eyes. They looked so young, just starting their transition into adulthood and it angered her that they should know such fear before even going through puberty.

All Tributes but Nemesis were paying apt attention to the Head trainer who stood on a podium in front, going on about "whipping them into shape" and how to best survive.

"Do not underestimate the survival training as 10% of you will die of…" Atala, head trainer went on in her best "this is serious business" voice.

The Slayer started to fidget because it was rare she ever had to stand still for so long, she couldn't believe how much the head trainer was talking. She desperately wanted to go over to weapons stations because they all looked so shiny.

"First we are going to test everyone's speed, strength, and agility with a couple of obstacle courses; starting with the Gauntlet. Are there any questions?" Atala asked.

"Yep, right here," Nemesis said as she raised her hand and pointed down to herself.

The head coach frowned in confusion as in her years of training Tributes no one had ever actually taken her up on her offer.

"Yes, 2nd District 12 female."

"_The hell?_"

The woman was sending her to her death with only three or so days of preparation and she couldn't even be bothered to know her name? Nice.

"Sooo…are we just ignoring all of this?" she asked as she motioned to the dark haired District 2 male standing next to her, who was almost as big as his blond counterpart.

Katniss, Peeta, and Jasper's eyes almost bugged out of their head simultaneously. They couldn't believe, but part of Katniss could, that Nemesis was actually calling attention to the members of District 2's size.

"All of what?"

"_Really?_" she silently asked with a disbelieving raised eyebrow and cocking her head to the side.

The trainer was going to make her spell it out she supposed.

"Ummm…he and his district partners are like three times the size of the average Tribute here…that doesn't strike anyone as odd?" She looked around expectantly, how could no one say anything?

The confusion cleared from Atala's face as she realized what the girl was implying. She quickly glanced at the Gamemaker's box, seeing what their reactions were. They all seemed to focus on the bold girl, unsure of how to proceed themselves or what to think.

Everyone knew that District 1, 2, and 4 had special academies where the families who could afford it sent their child to train for the Games. It was against the law but everyone loved a winner so the Capitol turned a blind eye, especially since the inner districts had remained loyal during the rebellion. It was no secret that Districts 1 and 2 had always been devoted and enjoyed certain privileges; ignoring the academies was one of them. It was a known fact that it was cheating but no one was ever supposed to acknowledge it publicly.

The entire center was tense with the heavy implication that the Games were rigged and completely unfair.

"I would also hazard a guess that they probably have an inordinate amount of skill when it comes to fighting and maybe even a weapon…anyone want to take that bet? No? Yes? Am I talking to myself?"

Everyone remained quiet and while the District 2 Tributes smoldered in anger, Nemesis ignored them and was entertained by their reaction.

She surprised everyone when she began to laugh. She couldn't help it, the frightened deer in headlights look everyone had was comical to her.

Their silence gave her the answer she sought.

"I'm just kidding guys! I'm sure we're all on the same level and playing field and that everyone is totally fair and square. I know that it's just _**pure coincidence**_ that these guys look like they've been body building since they were eight. I'm sure if they _**just so happen**_ to also be good at a weapon it's just beginners luck and is in _**no way**_ indicative of previous training, amiright?"

Katniss just put her head in her hand out of pure astonishment and convinced herself that she might as well appreciate that Nemesis signed her own death warrant and everyone was bound to forget about the District 12 volunteer.

"Alright," Atala said quietly. When she found more confidence and was determined to pretend the whole episode never happened, she said,

"Everyone line up, you will be going through the Gauntlet."

Everyone did as they were told, the Tributes from District 1 and 2 bullied their way to the front of the line, eager to prove how adept and worthy of the Citizens' attention they were. The others fell in line in the order they happened to be in closest to the course. No one else was keen to be tested but they also didn't want to loiter too long and face the possible wrath of their trainers.

Only Nemesis lingered longer than she should have, looking intensely at Atala.

The dark skinned trainer felt the Tribute's eyes upon her and when she looked the girl dead on, she felt a chill run down her spine. The blonde no longer had an air of sarcasm or fun, she was pensive. What the girl was thinking about, Atala would never be able to guess; but from the penetrating stare she gave, the head coach thought it was a predator trying to figure out its prey.

There was something wrong about the light haired District 12 girl and Atala could feel it to the bone.

The Gauntlet consisted of two rows of alternating uneven platforms, on either side of them stood trainers with cushioned batons. The Tributes were to jump up one side of the structure while trying to avoid or absorb the hits from the trainers then down the other side. They were to do this as quickly as they could without losing their balance. Once a Tribute fell the exercise was over for them. The courses would show the Gamemaker's the Tributes speed, agility, and overall physical prowess; they would then average out scores to give Citizens their opinion of the Tribute's odds in the Arena.

If the children were smart, they would figure out what they needed to work on and focus on those skills the Center could teach them. If they couldn't focus on them then they needed to figure out what they were good at and prove to the Gamemakers they were more than just Bloodbath fodder.

If the Tributes wanted any chance at sponsorship, they had better do whatever it took to impress at least one Gamemaker. There was only so much elbow rubbing their mentors could do, some were more adept than others.

"I would ask if you had lost your mind but I'm fairly certain you never had it to begin with," Katniss said darkly to her but the Slayer could sense the concerned undertones.

Nemesis smiled because she knew her friend was just worried for her, no matter how mean the huntress tried to sound.

"Aww Kit Kat, I love you too."

Katniss rolled her eyes and got in line. Her turn would be soon enough.

"Come on Kat, don't be that way. I already got a lecture from Effs this morning about my 'inappropriate' waxing that apparently has caught on."

"You are nothing but trouble," Katniss replied but couldn't help the smile that graced her face. Nemesis was certainly making a splash in the girl's purely unique way. She gave the other girl a soft punch in the arm to let her know that she wasn't angry. They both watched their competition begin the course.

As expected, District 1 and 2 ran the course with little to no difficulty. The trainers praised them for their speed and efficiency.

Their euphoria was short lived when the troublesome District 12 girl started to slowly and purposefully clap when the last of their alliance had finished. It was obvious that she was mocking them and perhaps rubbing it in further that she knew they had advantages the others did not.

Cato was starting to lose his cool when the blonde girl would not bow from just his stare. His size had worked so well in the past but it seemed the outlier did not have enough sense to fear him. Not only was she not afraid of him but had no trouble mocking him or his district partners as well.

He started to walk towards her, intent on putting the girl in her place but he felt a firm hand on his upper arm, stopping him from moving forward.

Clove, his closest friend and ally, silently told him with her eyes not to do anything stupid. It was not the time to hurt Tributes. To do such a thing before the actual Games was highly frowned upon and harsh punishments would be dealt. They could be penalized by having to give up some of their sponsorship money to pay for whatever treatments the injured Tribute needed to be Game ready.

His smaller partner was right; it wasn't time to get physical just yet. There were too many coaches around and they had just begun training. He wouldn't let the girl get the better of him.

So the allied districts huddled together and did their own type of psychological warfare from afar. They knew that most of the Tributes were nervous, as they ought to be because they stood no chance against them, so a deep stare and a mocking laugh was all it took to put them off of their game.

Every time a Tribute fell they snickered loudly and made snide comments.

It was glorious to be at the head of the pack.

They had all paid special attention once it was finally the mouthy Tribute from District 12's turn. They were sure that despite her well-fed appearance, unusual for an outlier, she wouldn't be able to perform at their level. She would be humbled soon enough and know who to fear.

What actually happened would only be a hint of what was to come.

Nemesis knew she couldn't fully display her Slayer prowess no matter how much she wanted to gloat in front of the arrogant cheaters from Districts 1, 2, and possibly 4 if how they were all migrating towards each other was any indication. It didn't take a genius or even someone who had actually grown up in Panem to see the vast differences between the children of each district. She hadn't really noticed how small Katniss really was until she saw her compared to Clove who, while about the same height, was built a lot sturdier and thicker with muscle from never having to know an empty stomach.

She laughed at the thought of how surprised they would be if they saw her run the course with ease at her full Slayer speed.

But alas she knew she couldn't. Not only did she not want to reveal how skilled she was, she didn't want to upstage Katniss and the others. They would need the help more than she ever would in such a situation.

So Nemesis opted to fuck around like she usually did.

The first jump onto the step was awkward and unsteady. She could hear the pack of gargantuan Tributes to the side of her snicker at her attempts. They knew she was all talk and they couldn't wait to shut her up in the Arena. She wasn't trying to get out of the way from the first baton aimed at her by a trainer, instead she grabbed it in mid-air and she wasn't sure who was more surprised, the pack or the instructor.

"Hey, what are you doing? Stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself," she mocked the coach as she trapped his hand around his own weapon and forced his arm to hit his own face. He didn't understand how the girl's grip was so strong and he couldn't shake her off. The others were too shocked to help him, never in the history of the Games had a Tribute been so disrespectful of the staff.

"Stop!" shouted Atala, then blew her whistle repeatedly.

Nemesis immediately froze and all eyes were on her. With everyone's attention, she gave the assistant one more hit for good measure and whispered,

"Stop hitting yourself," from the corner of her mouth and never looking away from Atala.

"What is it that you think you're doing?"

"I'm running the obstacle course," she said in her most condescending voice she could muster, as if Atala was simple and it was the utmost obvious what she was doing.

"You're supposed to run up and down the stairs as fast as you can."

"I was going to do that but then the guys started to hit me with bats, I felt letting them know how it feels was a better use of my time."

"That's not how the Games work."

"So when I'm in the Arena, if someone comes at me with a weapon I should let them hurt me?"

"No! That's not what I meant at all…"

"Well then I think I'm the only one who actually knows how to play this game because if everyone did as they were supposed to then they would have gotten killed."

Atala growled in exasperation, frustrated that the Tribute was talking in circles and had a point even if it was outside the perimeters of the idea of the exercise.

"Never mind, you are going being recorded as failing to complete the course," the head coach said forcefully as if it was supposed to matter to Nemesis. Even if she did care what the Gamemakers thought what she actually did and the gumption she showed to them would be in their thoughts, not what was on record.

Atala then took the time to stress what they were supposed to do for the next course which included a cargo net climb. It was a harder track and even some of the Tributes from the cheating districts had a bit of difficulty keeping their balance and having the strength to pull themselves up. All Tributes looked to Nemesis to see what she would do. Would she admit defeat after the tongue lashing the head coach gave her?

Not a chance.

The Slayer went up a few of the net's rungs and stopped, they all thought she would flip over and fall down but instead she pulled out a knife she stole from the weapons cache and cut the bottom of the net. That forced the apparatus to fall straight vertically, making it much easier for her to climb to the top.

"Yay I finished this one…write that down," she commanded the official recorder.

"No, don't write that down," Atala told the baffled officiate and turned to Nemesis "What was that?"

"I was having a really hard time climbing so to make things easier on myself, I cut the bottom. It was way faster than trying to climb it that way."

"It's supposed to be hard!" Atala yelled, finally losing her cool.

"So…when I'm in the Arena and I have the option to go an easier route I shouldn't?" asked as if she was truly confused and that's what Atala wanted.

"Yes you should…that's not the point!"

"What is the point?"

"To show the Gamemakers what you have to bring to the game!"

"Aren't I doing that? Obviously I'm the only one here who has the sense to make things easier on myself."

"Again, you will be recorded as not completing the trial. Now we have to fix what you broke, onto the next course, no breaks! And if you try anything like that again I'll…"

"You'll what? Send me into the wilderness to fend for my life?" Nemesis sneered.

Atala flinched as if the girl had actually hit her. An idea that none of them ever had before had popped into the Tribute's heads and a realization hit them.

What could the trainers do to them that was worse than what was going to happen? All the fight the head trainer had in her suddenly evaporated and felt powerless. The only motivator she had, fear for their lives, did not work on the light haired District 12 girl.

"Go," she yelled at the gaping Tributes. The girl might have no respect for her but the others still fell into line.

Cato and Clove both noticed how the Gamemakers were looking at the girl. They were not angry or even surprised. They were contemplative. There was more to the girl than they initially realized. Not only was she mouthy but she had no fear.

Something they had never seen in an outlier Tribute.

"Alright Tributes, here is the uneven climbing frame. You are to cross it as fast as you can. You **may not** alter it in any way or abuse the staff. Am I clear?"

Atala spoke as if she were talking to everyone but with her pointed look they all knew she was talking to a specific person.

Cato and Clove managed the frame with ease, they were the fittest in their class and both were pleased when they got the fastest scores of their group. The District 2 female snorted when the glamorous blonde from 1 struggled when her partners passed with no problem. The girl was obviously the weakest link in their alliance and Clove did not appreciate the flirty looks and caresses Glimmer gave Cato. He had already assured her he was not the type to get drawn in by a pretty face and was well aware of the girl's game. He didn't see any harm in letting Glimmer think he was falling for her tricks when they were going to probably kill her first once the inter-district alliance fell apart.

Atala made the blonde District 12 girl go next, Thor, her name was if she recalled the night before correctly. Clove wondered if the loquacious female would actually follow directions that time or if they were in for another spectacle.

Technically Nemesis did follow the rules.

Instead of swinging from bar to bar, she opted to pull herself up and run across the narrow poles to the other side. It was much quicker and she did beat the top two District 2 Tributes by a wide margin.

"Well what are you waiting for, take down my time."

"No don't take down her time. Damn you girl, why won't you listen?"

"What are you talking about Ms. Atala? I did exactly as you told me. I got across without breaking anything or hitting your staff."

"You were supposed to swing across the bars with your arms."

"That takes a lot of upper body strength and energy. What I did was way more efficient."

"That's not how you were supposed to do it," Atala insisted, doing her best to keep her emotions in check.

"I believe in working smarter, not harder."

Atala didn't know what to do with herself. The girl had a smart remark for everything she said and she couldn't think of anything she could punish the girl for. The District 12 female hadn't broken any rules, at least not technically. Normally she cared how the Tributes faired. The better they all did then the better the Games went. If the Games were more interesting then it reflected well on her. But if this particular girl wanted to fool around and not listen then she could die on the first day in the first five minutes for all she cared.

"Tributes you are free to explore the rest of the training center. Staff, no one is to guide the blonde District 12 female on anything. If she won't take it seriously then she doesn't deserve your wise advice."

All Tributes, even the ones from the rich districts, eyes widened and their mouths gaped. Never had they heard a Tribute barred from lessons. It was a harsh punishment as even a simple lesson of how to build a fire could save them from the elements.

They looked to Nemesis to see how upset she had to be.

She was more interested in checking out the shiny weapons but made sure to let Atala know exactly where she stood on the edict. She balled up both her fists and twisted them in front of her eyes, pretending to bawl.

The Slayer had completely lost interest in what Atala had to say and headed to the table of swords, checking them out and seeing what Panem had to offer. It took the Head Trainer all her self restraint not to go over to Nemesis and slap her silly.

Peeta wanted to go over to his friend and shake some sense into her. Her antics in District 12 weren't going to fly there. The head trainer was livid with her and the Gamemakers probably didn't know what to do with her. He wouldn't be surprised if they purposefully gave her poor marks to teach her a lesson. He was about to walk over to them but it seemed as if the Career Tributes were going to get to her first. His first instinct was to go to her defense but a firm hand stopped him.

His heart skipped a beat when he realized it was Katniss that was touching him. Whenever he looked at her or felt her touch, his heart turned shy and forgot how to work.

"Don't interfere. Trust me; we should be more worried about them than about her."

Peeta contemplated her words and wondered if she knew of Nemesis' lie. He knew the two girls were friends but he had just figured out the blonde's deceit, did his grey eyed huntress know as well?

In any event, she was right as he remembered what the false District 12 citizen did to his mother's antique rolling pin and how she was able to subdue a grown man twice her size. He didn't know the extent to Nemesis' skills but he knew that she was capable of taking care of herself. At least there were other trainers there that would break up a fight should one occur. While he could tell some of them were amused by her antics, he only hoped that they wouldn't plot against her and help the Careers tear her down.

While others tried to figure her out and prayed to a God they didn't know exist for her safety, she was busy in her own little world of all things shiny.

The weapon selection left a lot to be desired. They were well made and sturdy but there was no art to them. Like everything else in Panem, all beauty and art was tossed aside for utility or garishness. In case of the weapons, they were all clunky and heavy. Good if one had the strength to wield them and if the intended target was slow; bad for anything graceful or quick such as her.

"Hmmm…boring, boring, boring, two grams too heavy on the hilt, boring, boring, flaw on the blade, boring, oooo…this looks promising," she cooed over a lochaber axe. As much as she wanted to give it a whirl and see how it handled, she couldn't betray her skill with the weapon or anything else. She studied its weight, wondering if the weapons before her would definitely show up in the Arena or could just potentially appear. She had used many different types from short swords to a pair of child scissors to kill demons but it disgusted her that humans would use them against each other for entertainment; even more so that the humans would be children.

As much as she didn't like the Tributes from the rich districts, she couldn't forget that they were just kids in a cruel world. Mere children raised to think killing for sport was the norm and inevitable. She supposed she couldn't fault their parents for training them to kill early on. If their children would be led to slaughter, what parent wouldn't want them to have the best chance possible to come home?

Having monsters as children was better than having dead children, at least in theory.

Panem was a sick place and momentarily she felt overwhelmed with the pressure of what to do. She was so used to having a leader, having Buffy or Willow call out orders. Every choice she made would either save a life or end it. Maybe neither. She didn't know how to lead or even what to do.

Nemesis was so engrossed with staring, lost in thought, at the weapon that one of the other Tributes might use to try to kill her; she didn't notice the hulking pack that gathered around her. The blond one, the obvious leader, had been calling what he thought her name was.

"…Thor," he said growing frustrated with the girl's ability to ignore him. He thought the axe was a fine weapon as well but he wouldn't be able to not heed when his name was called.

"I'm sorry, are you talking to me?" she finally asked as she was jolted out of her reverie.

"Thor's your name, right?" he asked mockingly, who else would he be talking to?

"No, why would you think that?"

His temper would only be held back so much and it didn't help when her tone suggested he was an idiot.

"You said you're name was Thor last night."

"Ohhh right," she explained as she finally remembered where he got the idea. "No, I'm only Thor when I wear the hat."

She gave no further explanation, she acted as if it clarified everything and she did not say the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard; and that included his stylist suggestion that he wear a matching bronze feather necklace to the Tribute Parade and apply black eyeliner.

"My name is Nemesis…or Madge…yeah I'm pretty sure it's Madge although not really sure what it's short for. Normally I'd say Margaret but in this day and age it's probably some hippie name like Madrigal or something. Anyway I prefer to go by Nemesis…and what is your name blue eyes?" she asked when she finally saw who she was talking to and fluttered her eyes with a flirtatious exaggeration.

Nemesis knew it was probably wrong to flirt with someone who was likely to kill her with extreme prejudice but she was a sucker for blond hair and blue eyes. Not to mention his other attributes that could make her forget he was a total ass hat.

She was not Saint Nemesis for a reason.

How the girl could go from manic boredom and incomprehensibly disrespectful to coy was beyond Cato but he wasn't about to waste an opportunity. While he was certain he would have no trouble killing the girl, probably at the Bloodbath and with an inordinate amount of glee, he knew he had to at least get an idea of what he was dealing with. He didn't go through eight years of training at the Academy to severely underestimate his opponent's possible utilities. They might have skills worth looking into and from her antics she was at least quick on her feet. She was also taller and obviously better fed than most Tributes coming from the coal district.

Then there was the way she handled the weapons before her. To the untrained eye, it may look like she was carelessly roving over them and picking out the prettiest. But she handled them with the utmost care, making sure she would not harm herself when examining them. There was deference, a resounding appreciation for the blades. She knew that if they were not properly respected, she could easily lose a finger or two.

Only someone who knew their way around the steel would treat them as such. Perhaps she was the butcher's daughter.

His instincts were telling him to not overlook the strange Undersee girl…who apparently didn't know her own name.

"How do you not know your own name? And why does it change when you wear a hat?" he asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

Cato was making the mistake of trying to rationalize with the irrational.

"In all fairness I've only had it for like three days."

The entire group frowned at the admission, how could she have only had it for three days? The girl was as crazy as the media had made her out to be, it was no exaggeration the rumors spreading about her madness and it wasn't clever editing.

Cato shook his head, not willing to let her get him confused as he was certain that was her goal.

"I'm Cato," he went on. "This is Clove, Seppia, and Nero of District 2."

The blond, Cato, introduced his district partners, each looking hard at her and what Nemesis assumed was their best "I'm super tough and a killer so be afraid of me" look. Fighting demons taller than they with claws and fangs had desensitized her to fearsome looking humans, the latter paling in comparison and looking rather benign.

They had no idea what real fear was.

"Sup?"

All four shoulders drooped in disappointment, wondering what they were doing wrong with her when every other Tribute had stepped back in dread at their mere presence. The girl, Madge or Nemesis, had only nodded her head in greeting and said something nonsensical.

Cato was not deterred, if four towering Tributes weren't enough he was certain eight more would do the trick even if they were not as built as those in District 2. An alliance of the strongest Districts was sure to intimidate even the mad girl from 12.

"This is Glimmer, Sparkle, Champagne, and Marvel of District 1. Of District 4 there is…"

He wasn't able to introduce the rest because the girl had suddenly gone into a fit of laughter. Whatever she found humorous was enough to render her to the floor, holding her sides as the mirth erupted from the very core of her.

"Are…you…serious…?" she breathed out slowly in between her chuckles. "Oh my God, those are stripper names…District 1 produces strippers, I know it."

The aforementioned Tributes were seething in anger, even more so than Cato on a lackluster training day back at the Academy. The girl was obviously mocking their traditional and proud District 1 names. Whatever a "stripper" was, it wasn't flattering; that much they could tell.

Nemesis finally composed herself and pulled herself up from the floor. She wiped the few tears that escaped her eyes from laughing so hard and took a couple of deep breaths. She looked refreshed and less manic than before.

"Thanks guys, I needed that. It was fun talking to you. I'll see you guys around," and with that she gave Cato a pat on the shoulder and started to leave the weapons practice section. She gave the District 1 Tributes one last look and held in her laughter although a few snickers managed to escape.

A staff member stopped her from going to another area and asked,

"Aren't you going to at least try throwing something?" he asked exasperated. He knew he wasn't to give her any hints or any kind of help but she hadn't done anything other than look at their selection. It was truly as if the girl did not plan on utilizing anything the training center had to offer. With or without their help, it would do her good to at least attempt her hand at something.

Nemesis, for her part, rolled her eyes and grabbed the nearest blade, a khopesh; one of the more exotic weapons in their arsenal. She looked slightly impressed but neutralized her face to keep up the façade of being ignorant of any kind of training. Without even turning, she lazily tossed it towards a human shaped target. The blade did not even make it half way across the length of floor from where she stood to the mark. The weapon clinked loudly and everyone had stopped to see what she would do. Her unimpressive feat was met with a shrug and a small smile from the blonde; she then left the trainer with more frustration than when he first stopped to talk to her.

He could handle crying Tributes, those who were so scared for their life that they could not train under the sheer weight of their doomed fate. He would understand if she was so overwhelmed that she curled into a fetal position in a corner and cried all day. He could take angry Tributes, those who thought the Reaping unfair and lashed out at those who were trying to help them. He could take arrogant Tributes, those were where utterly certain of their Victory and thought the trainers a waste of time. What he couldn't take were ones that thought them utterly useless while they clearly had no chance of winning. The Undersee girl was not making any allies and he doubted her own district partners would even help her in the first precious minutes of the Games.

A girl like that should not dismiss them so easily.

"I think we can all learn from the 2nd District 12 female," the trainer stated disdainfully and raised his voice for the entire center to hear. He knew full well her name; she was one of the Tributes to stand out at her Reaping and at the Tribute Parade. He refused to give her the courtesy of using her given name. "She is a great example of the worst kind of attitude for the Games. She is in total denial of her possible death and does not give her situation the correct respect that facing death deserves…"

Nemesis stopped and stilled completely. She slowly and purposefully turned around; again she was the center of attention and her mood was volatile at best. Her emotions were unpredictable and from the trainers simple words it seemed that she had taken a sharp turn. She no longer had a light and hyper air about her. She was as calm as a placid lake, her eyes boring into his and he felt a chill run through his blood.

He had said the wrong thing; every cell in his body knew it.

"Death?" she asked and cocked her head as if it were a foreign term she had never heard of and played with the words in her mouth. She started to say something but a smile had interrupted her thought and she tried again. It was such a puzzling thing to her. Something she had lived with since the age of ten and the audacity of a Capitol Citizen to approach her on the subject was so detestable to her she had trouble articulating the rage it caused inside of her.

"What do you know about death?" she asked, her voice soft and almost whimsical; her calm manner reminding Katniss of a winter river. Smooth ice that hid the raging water underneath.

"You, who sits pretty in a glass apartment in the safety of your stone city; you who is fed every day and have no reason to fear the elements. Have you ever known the pains of an empty stomach? Have you ever felt your skin sink into your body, accentuating every bone as your system eats away your very flesh? Have you shivered in the cold with no way to warm yourself because every Capitol cent you make goes to other necessities to barely make it to the next day? Have you seen your family nearly wiped out because of disease and no way to pay for a cure that is otherwise readily available?"

Nemesis listed the ailments of the poorer districts, each Tribute from the outliers understanding her more than they thought they ever would.

What did a Capitol Citizen know about death?

She walked calmly to the shell shocked trainer, having no words to combat the onslaught of questions. Knowing he had never known the cold touch of death. Nemesis walked very close to him, his only defense was a single sword he held in his hands; a sword he had planned on demonstrating to anyone who would listen.

The girl fingered the blade lightly up its length, seemingly enthralled. Suddenly she griped it by its edge, a fine trickle of crimson dripped down. The trainer's eyes widened as she showed no signs of pain.

"You know nothing of death, Citizen. All you know is the sight of blood being shed while never getting your own hands dirty."

She was right; the sight of blood from the safety of his living room had no effect on him. He became excited at the splatter as every good Citizen did, happy when a favored Tribute triumphed. But when the sharp metallic smell hit his nose, he became nauseous and frightened. It was all too real and personal. A fright he had never known saturated his skin and curled inside of him, cramping his stomach and telling him to run.

He could not stand the sight and he looked into her eyes, hoping to escape the horror of real blood but he was worse off than before. Her eyes were a common brown but they pierced his very being, he saw eons of death and suffering.

The girl was death itself.

"I have lived a thousand lives and died a thousand ways. Death is an old friend that I will welcome with open arms when my time comes, whenever that may be. I have nothing to fear from death. It's living that is the true horror. The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Death is my gift."

Her last statements had been told to her by Buffy herself; the one who started it all, the one who helped create her. Nemesis had gone on her spiritual journey, met the First Slayer and known what her duty was and in the end her reward would be peace. Death was not to be feared, it was to be embraced.

Death was a gift; she had no apprehension for it. What she feared was what humanity had become, how a staff of people could teach a group of children where they knew forty seven out of forty eight would perish and thought nothing of it. To them, it was another day on their job; a tradition every year to be celebrated. Death was their paycheck.

Her words cut into him like the sword he was holding. The shimmering gauze that President Snow had covered his eyes since he could remember had been cut away and the harsh reality that stood before him came into painful clarity.

He looked around him and he no longer saw nameless Tributes he was readying for fun and Games. He saw small children where he had never seen them before, little helpless lambs being led to slaughter.

"Magnus, are you alright? What did you do to him?!" Atala shouted at Nemesis. The head trainer had let the girl speak her madness, seeing as she was not going to harm her staff. She even let it go further than she probably would have let any other Tribute when she saw the girl was willing to hurt herself. A vindictive part of her wanted the girl to be hurt for the Games, teach her a lesson about ignoring their advice. But Madge seemed unfazed by the wound and Magnus was worse for wear. She had somehow traumatized her best swordsmen with her unhinged words and Atala fretted over him. He had tears stream down his face and a look of terror.

"I need to go," was all he said when he dropped the sword and rushed out of the center.

"What did you do to him?" she asked the girl again even though everyone had heard the mad girl's speech. To most it made no sense and it bordered on treason. There was a silent exchange between them; he saw something in her eyes that rattled him. She had felt something similar before but nothing that would make her leave her post as if she were running from a muttation.

"I have another question for you Atala," Nemesis stated, completely ignoring the older woman's question. "How do you sleep at night?"

"I sleep _**just fine**_. In fact, I sleep on the most luxurious bed District 1 has to offer with the generous stipend and bonus I receive for a job well done."

"_Morféas katára ta óneirá sas me to thánato tou káthe Afiéro̱ma pései_."

"What jabberish are you speaking?!" Atala asked, her patience with the girl had long been gone and lashing out at fear. The unfamiliar words frightened her, the foreign tongue resonating within her, instinctively knowing they were evil.

"I'm merely wishing you sweet dreams on your luxurious bed."

Nemesis then smiled her mad smile and walked away laughing. Her jollity echoing in the silent center as they all were riveting by the drama that unfolded.

Unknown to others, Nemesis cursed her lack of control. She had done one of worst things possible, she showed them all her magic. They might not have known what she had done or said but soon enough it would be evident, at least by Atala. The head trainer would remember her strange words and possibly link her cursed sleep to Nemesis. The Slayer hoped that Atala would never think to connect the two events as magic was unheard of in Panem. She relaxed when she was certain if Atala didn't forget then no one would believe her. Who would believe a lowly Tribute from District 12 could wield such power?

A low standing employee quietly made her way outside the center, rushing to call her connection on the outside. Regular Citizens were not supposed to know anything that went on during training but the day's antics were too good to pass up. There was always at least one mole in the Training Center that gave the gossip rags something to talk about. President Snow overlooked the indiscretions as it distracted his people from actual important concerns of state. She was promised complete discretion and a fat coin purse for any information she could give.

The maddest Tribute to ever enter the Games would certainly fetch her plenty of pretty golden Capitol dollars.

**A/N: OK I figured I needed to stop effing around and finally post something. I've been working on several chapters for the Training Center for a long time and at first wanted to finish them all so it'd all be a cohesive set but it's turning into a monster. So I figured I would post what I did have. Sorry it's taken so long but enjoy!**

**Thank you all who have stuck with it!**


	18. Chapter 18

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Nemesis walked across the center, looking for a way to bandage her bleeding hand. She wasn't sure what possessed her to grab the blade but she needed the trainer to see real blood. She needed him to see that she was human; she bled just as he could and he was sending her to her death. It wasn't she who chose to go into the Games and die. She was being sent against her will for their entertainment and for his payday.

The Slayer believed she got through to him. It gave her hope that if she showed they were all still human, they would start to act like it.

Peeta ran behind, worried about her injury and the type of impression she was making. At first he thought she was playing the game. She dyed her hair and wore clothes to Capitol tastes but her erratic behavior was becoming more and more unhinged. He worried his friend was making a straight route to her grave. He caught up with her and she saw he had a bandage. She didn't really need it as it was already starting to close up but she couldn't refuse the help. She couldn't let anyone know of her Slayer healing abilities and she as glad that Peeta wasn't mad enough at her that he would cut himself off.

"What are you doing Mari…Nemesis?" he asked, genuinely worried for her.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. She didn't know what her plan was. She was flying blind and more often than not reacting to the situation as it came to her. There were forty seven of them and she wanted to save them all. She wasn't sure how to do that or if she even could. With all the powers of a Slayer and an above average witch, she was still nothing compared to the vast army of the Capitol. There was also the issue that Panem was far more technologically advanced than she realized. While District 12 lived in poverty and was scarcely given the bare essentials, it was apparent every luxury and the most advanced weaponry was saved for the Capitol. It didn't matter that if D12 had technology that was even several years older than the newest things it could make life that much easier for the coal miners which infuriated her. Who knew what else the Capitol had at its disposal and she couldn't risk an outright assault less she find herself vaporized by a death ray or other weapon only dreamed up in science fiction.

She also didn't have any of her own weapons and she couldn't practice with the ones that were there. She had no magic books and had to solely rely on what she had memorized and mastered which was woefully apparent not that much. While it was an impressive array of spell work she could yield, she was still stunted in her full potential without access to the Slayer organization's library.

She wished it was as easy as blowing a hole into the Tribute Tower and escaping the city. Such a bold move sounded romantic, something Superwoman could do easily but she was not invulnerable to bullets and there was the very real possibility that the Tributes would turn on her; women of great magical power have been reduced to ash as whole villages tied them to a stake and killed them with fire. Even past Slayers with no magic ability have been accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death.

Then she was angry at the situation in general and felt helpless as to what to do. She couldn't leave the center for fear of what they would do to Katniss and the others. She had to play the game but she refused to abide by their rules.

"You are painting a giant target on your back with the way you're acting," he stated fearfully. He hoped that he could talk her into calming down and cooperating. He didn't doubt that the novelty of her behavior would wear off very quickly and the Gamemakers would make it their priority to get rid of her. Entertainment value did not stand up to treason.

"Better my back than yours…or Katniss'."

The baker's son stopped wrapping the bandage around her injured hand and looked at her. Really looked at her and he understood what she meant by giving her the benefit of the doubt. Even when he wasn't sure he could trust her, she was doing her best to protect him like she did back in District 12. And how could he blame someone for protecting the steel eyed beauty with a bow?

"You can't protect me forever."

She understood the meaning in his statement. It was the Hunger Games, only one of them could survive.

She wasn't playing by the rules then and she didn't plan on playing by them in the future.

"I take that as a personal challenge."

He smiled the first genuine smile he had in days,

"You would."

"Hopefully your prep team will have some sort of salve. They were able to get rid of all my burn scars from the ovens, hopefully they can give you something to patch you up before the Games," Peeta said as he finished. He didn't know what he hoped for more: Nemesis being healed or for her catching a fatal infection which would spare him the pain of having to kill her or watching her die by the hands of a monster like Cato or Nero.

As dear as Nemesis was to him, he loved Katniss more.

"I wouldn't worry about it."

He wished he lived in the fantasy world Nemesis obviously lived in where she literally did not care about her wounds or anything else for that matter. He didn't know that her Slayer healing ability was already weaving the cut skin back together, better than any Capitol made balm.

It was finally time for lunch and the Tributes were grateful for the reprieve. There were several long tables and a buffet style service. The Tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4 all stood together talking boisterously. The other districts had never seen so much food in one sitting, not even at their annual harvest festivals or other district wide holidays. They weren't even sure how to act amongst so much plenty. They had learned not to stuff themselves with the foreign food but they also knew it was probably one of very few decedent meals they had left in their life.

Katniss had pulled Nemesis aside and told her blonde friend about the "careers", Tributes who illegally trained before the Games. It was why District 2 had such a skewed amount of winners with District 1 and 4 close behind. It was why they were all so much bigger as they had been given the proper nutrition their whole lives and could flourish where others barely survived.

"OK, so I'm not crazy. They are cheaters."

"No but you need to stop pointing out the obvious. While cheating, they are a Capitol favorite and they aren't very kind to those who ruin their delusions," Katniss warned. The huntress had seen other Tributes who mentioned such unfair practices and they were always the first to die in the Bloodbath. And if not in the first few minutes, there always "happened" to be a Gamemaker controlled incident: An avalanche, a flood, swarm of fanged toads…all where unpopular or treasonous Tributes were hiding.

Katniss wouldn't wish the ire of the Gamemakers on her worst enemy, much less a friend.

Nemesis took her friend's advice to heart. She was bored with mentioning it anyway, she decided that the Tributes from the so called career districts were on her personal shit list and would not make their stay at the Tower a comfortable one.

She obviously wouldn't get justice with pointing out the cheating; she would have to get it her own way. The shiver from the tattoo on her back told her the patron goddess of divine justice did not mind at all.

* * *

><p>Cato stood at the front of the line, intending to take first pick at the choice foods. District 2 might not partake in the exotic and sometimes strange fare that the Capitol favored but they were always well fed. A diet rich in protein and starches were favored but they would follow their nutritionists' advice and throw in greens as well. His favorite was roast beef in plenty of its own juices with a hearty roll to accompany it. The Tower thankfully had carving stations and he ordered a heaping helping of the red meat. There were also staples such as pastas for energy and salads for greens. Clove stood behind him and ordered a similar plate, they both smiled at the obvious pecking order that had arisen. They were at the top of the pyramid with District 1 as their closest allies. It was the typical alliance but they had all agreed that when the weaker Tributes were wiped out then the first of the alliance to go would be District 4. They weren't nearly as well trained and the odds were in their favor as none of them were particularly good looking. They had a small thirteen year-old and the others were forgettable. District 4 was usually regarded as the one with the best looking Citizens, especially since long time favorite Finnick Odair had hailed from the fishing district. But as they were average at best, District 1 was sure to take the best looking category. Clove was certain that Glimmer would charm everyone with her silky blonde hair and shimmering green eyes. Being good looking seemed to be the only thing the girl knew how to do and according to the Capitol it was an actual bankable talent. Glimmer's district female partner was not the typical District 1 beauty but she could handle a short sword. Marvel was very adept at the spear and Champagne was handy with a scythe. It would be a strong alliance, especially with the vast number of other Tributes to contend with. She was especially excited because while her alliance was a strong one, it wasn't so strong that it wouldn't b easy for her and Cato to kill them off when the time came.<p>

She and Cato talked extensively of their plans for the Quarter Quell, both seeing their participation as the odds favoring them. Not only was it a more noteworthy Game because of the special rules but they hoped to break some records. It was the most opportune chance a Tribute had of getting the most kills during the Bloodbath but overall. Atala was right, a majority of Tributes either died from the Bloodbath or from exposure. Clove wanted the distinction of being the cause of death for most of the Tributes, not because of Gamemaker traps or the Tribute's own ineptitude.

Her biggest competition would be Cato but she was confident that she would best her friendly rival.

All in all they were happy with the way the Games were going, it definitely looked to be in their favor.

That was until Nemesis opened her mouth and chaos seemed to seep out and spread everywhere like the smallpox. The mad girl didn't have any basic manners as she cut in line and took the entire serving bowl of fruit. The dish was about as big as a warrior's shield and brimming with produce from across the country. Most of it hailed from District 11, the largest district in Panem which spanned several geographical climates. The cooler temperatures were good for squash and other winter crops, the more tropical regions bared the most fruit. It seemed the girl had no interest in any other food other that what she gathered. No other Tribute wanted to fight her for the right to have any once she threw an apple at a staff member's head that tried to get her to put the bowl back on the serving table.

If the blonde girl put as much effort in throwing a knife as she had with the apple, Nemesis might have had a somewhat decent shot at surviving the Games…at least for a day or two.

Clove snickered sardonically at the image of the Gamekeepers purposefully putting apples along with the other weapons and not as food just for the insane girl. It was so utterly ridiculous to think the Games would be won with a well placed throw of the round red crop. She wondered if the Citizens would think it a new fad to win the Games with food rather than steel.

Cato was less than amused because he would have liked an apple or to even try one of the more exotic fair only those in the Capitol could afford from the more tropical areas of District 11.

Katniss, Jasper, and Peeta were used to Nemesis' behavior as she had done the same thing with the produce on the train. They were lucky to even get a glimpse of fruit before the girl scarfed it all down.

The long lunch tables were staggered close together; Katniss wondered why they bothered to put them as close as all Tributes stuck to their own partners. Only Districts 1, 2, and 4 mingled together; making their alliance known and to intimidate the others with their powerhouse.

It also didn't help that the tables were close enough for Nemesis to toss her leftover rinds and cores at Champagne. The wine scion was trying to keep his cool as the girl mischievously threw garbage at him, the blonde snickering at his feeble attempt to ignore her. He finally had enough, a loud scraping of his chair against the linoleum flooring as he got up and stalked to where Nemesis was sitting.

To her credit, she didn't even flinch when he got close to her. She was not short by Panem standards but she was more slender and a few inches shorter than the sandy blond. She continued to bite into her orange slices while he almost charged at her. Her only saving grace was a staff member who had made it his personal duty to protect the obviously suicidal girl from harm in the training center. The last thing they needed was to be accused of fixing the Games by letting a Tribute perish earlier than wanted.

Champagne was stopped before he could actually do anything and he had to eventually leave the cafeteria all together once it was clear he would not be able to harm the girl and she was all too happy to rub it in his face.

Any normal person, Tribute or not, would have the sense to stop antagonizing the biggest competition in a game to the death but Nemesis was more interested in getting something to drink and protecting her horde of fruit.

"What are you doing?" Katniss asked, aghast at Nemesis' behavior.

The Slayer did not look even the slightest bit embarrassed as she picked up each fruit and licked them once before putting them back into the bowl.

"It's how people will know it's mine."

She then ran to back to the buffet tables and came back with two pitchers of water. She uncouthly downed two glasses and then emitted an audible belch. Instead of being embarrassed at the total lack of etiquette, Nemesis looked rather proud of herself as if the loud bodily noise was an accomplishment.

"Could you be any more disgusting and unrefined?" Glimmer asked snootily as she bird picked her boiled fish and brown rice. She couldn't lay a hand on the girl but that didn't mean she couldn't use her Academy famous venomous tongue.

"Yes I could actually. Anyone under fifteen should close their eyes," she commanded then proceeded to show the girl how "unrefined" she could be.

Nemesis took a yellow banana and slowly unpeeled it before the Career table. She had their apt attention as they wondered what crazy thing she was about to do next.

All eyes, including staff members, widened and jaws dropped with the exception of three Tributes. Only the youngest Tributes and Katniss showed confusion as they didn't understand what the big deal was that Nemesis could fit a whole banana in her mouth without choking. If anything, they saw it as a possible edge on the competition since it was obviously she wouldn't choke on her food in the Arena.

Katniss recalled a particular pathetic Tribute that died from eating a chestnut too quickly and asphyxiated with the nut stuck in his throat.

The huntress really didn't understand when all the males in the room shifted uncomfortably when Nemesis removed the fruit from her mouth and licked it down its length. She felt as though she was missing a part of the conversation that everyone else seemed to understand. She was even more confused when two Tributes had covered the eyes of the only two thirteen year olds among them.

It irked her that she was out of the loop on something and even Peeta looked bothered by what Nemesis had done. She wondered if he had caught a fever as his face was red and he seemed to need to cool down.

Glimmer looked scarlet too but not for the same reason.

The crazy girl knew the District 1 girl's secret, she had to. There was no other explanation on how the mad Tribute knew a skill that Gloss had taught her a couple of summers ago, a vile disgusting talent that Capitol men were very fond of.

A rage bubbled inside of her, the likes that would make Cato seem a tame pet for the Citizens. She wanted nothing more than to take her silver butter knife and stab the impoverished blonde girl from the coal district in the head many times as she had with so many Panem traitors used for her training; anything to wipe that arrogant and taunting smirk off Nemesis' face.

Her other schooling from Cashmere was at war with her need to lash out. She knew she couldn't hurt the girl, not without making her bank account – an account she had worked too hard for and done too many despicable things to earn – dwindle to nothing to compensate 12's mentor's loss. But she found herself unable to smile, even a mocking one she had schooled herself in so well. She opted to do something in the middle. She tossed her tray to the ground and gave out an inhumane growl of anger then stomped off on the same path Champagne had gone before her.

Nemesis had managed to enrage not one but two District 1 Tributes in less than twenty minutes. If the training center had such records they were certain she would have topped the list.

The Slayer raised an eyebrow in question and puzzlement. That was not the reaction she was expecting. Disgust or scandalized, sure. It seemed that all sexual expression was either suppressed or done behind closed doors. But pure unadulterated hatred and anger was unforeseen and she wondered why the girl would react in such a way. Nemesis' curiosity was piqued and now she had to find out what was under the District 1 girl's skin.

"You really are disgusting," Sparkle chimed in on the Slayer's thoughts. Since Glimmer decided to leave the cafeteria in such an undignified show of emotion, it was up to her to try to put the mad girl in her place.

"I'm disgusting? You're the one eating maggots, Sparks," Nemesis smiled as if the girl was a mere child talking to an adult and looked her straight in the eye.

"What are you talking about?" Sparkle asked, aggravated at the childish nickname Nemesis gave her.

"Maggots, Sparks…you're eating maggots."

Sparkle looked down at her plate, expecting to see the brown rice she chose for herself. Instead, she saw tiny little undulating bodies. Bile rose into her throat and she spit out the offending food. How could she have missed the grotesque insects in her food? Why would the Capitol serve anything but pure clean food? She spewed onto the floor until she was satisfied there was nothing left, determined to get every repulsive little creature from her mouth and contemplated vomiting what she had already ate. Her body might have done the job regardless as it rebelled against the thought of consuming such a revolting substance.

Others looked at her as if she had gone insane as well.

"What are you doing?!" Marvel asked in a harsh whisper. It seemed as if his entire district team had fallen apart at their seams and he was the only one who held himself together. He was desperately afraid that now they would seem weak and discarded as part of the alliance. He wasn't the brightest diamond in the jewelry box but he knew enough to know that without District 2's support, it was highly unlikely he'd survive the first few days.

He heard what Nemesis had said to Sparkle and like everyone he automatically looked at her food. But he did not see the squirming bodies that his teammate did. He saw plain brown rice that they had all ordered. It was the same steamed food that they had all taken from the same place. It did not make any sense that hers would be contaminated while theirs weren't. So her reaction was a strange one to say the least.

But she had seen the larvae, she knows she did. Once she looked back at her plate, she didn't see them anymore. She didn't understand what was going on and what to say.

"But…I saw…there was…" she stuttered, speechless; unable to articulate what she knew she had seen but no longer saw.

All attention was on her as she made a fool of herself. Somehow Nemesis' madness had spilled into her and she looked at the pink blonde girl. All Nemesis did was smile and shrug her shoulders. Everyone's eyes were still on her, thinking she was some simpleton who allowed herself to be fooled by the other.

Only Peeta looked at Nemesis suspiciously.

Something was off and he knew there was more to the story than Nemesis merely tricking Sparkle.

* * *

><p>Lunch was over and they had to head back into the gym. They were given free reign but warned that the climbing apparatus was almost fixed and whoever didn't get a chance to participate would have to run through it when the time came.<p>

Katniss took hold of Nemesis' arm before the girl could choose which station to terrorize next.

"How about we do some stretches or yoga?" the huntress offered, hoping that if she distracted her friend then the girl couldn't cause any more trouble.

"Sure, sounds good," Nemesis replied and Katniss thought the girl was too obsequious and wondered if she was planning something even crazier.

Nemesis didn't, she was bored and couldn't think of anything else to do. She couldn't show off any of her actual talents and she didn't care to bother the so called careers anymore. She had already managed to piss them off, especially those in District 1 and a little relaxing yoga seemed like a good thing to do.

They re-appropriated some mats used in hand to hand combat and got into their positions. Before Katniss could stop her, Nemesis took off her training shirt as she was used to doing the exercise in a sports bra. She certainly caught the attention of the training center but soon they went back to their activities.

Taking off her shirt was not the most outrageous thing she had done that day, so a little skin showing seemed tame enough.

Most Tributes were lost in their respective training, all doing their best to learn how to survive. Katniss was pretty aware of what to do if left alone in the forest, what she didn't know could be left for the next day. The grey eyed girl was more interested in reigning in her friend.

The staff, on the other hand, was interested in what they were doing. Each girl had perfectly controlled movements and only their keen eyes could see the difficulty in attaining and maintaining each position as well as how much control and core strength it took to do such feats. Some talked lowly amongst themselves, each giving input on the obvious strategy. Both girls had managed to show their strengths without the knowledge of the other Tributes and not even having to wait until the private sessions.

It was a genius move on their parts, it was something that raised the girls' status in their minds and would have to alert the Gamemakers of the clever plan.

Most Tributes steered clear of Nemesis and by association, Katniss. Peeta and Jasper had teamed up to learn all they could about the wild flora and fauna. They didn't have the advantage their local poacher had at going beyond the fence for most of her life. Their life of comfort was their biggest hindrance in the Game and they had to make up for all the lost time experience might have taught them otherwise.

There was one small Tribute whose curiosity overcame any sense of foreboding he might have of the strange girl from District 12.

"What kind of bird wings are those?" an inquisitive asked as Nemesis came out of Paschimottanasana.

She looked up to see the clearest sea blue eyes she had ever seen and a puff of curly cinnamon hair.

"I'm sorry, what?" Nemesis asked kindly. While she didn't care for the career pack, she couldn't help but be nice to the youngest member. He was so much smaller than the others in his alliance and she didn't get the sense of the same arrogance and blood thirst the others had. Standing before her, he looked like any child that could have come from her extensive family.

"Your tattoos…" he said pointing to her back. "What kind of bird wings are they?"

She wasn't sure how to respond as they weren't bird wings. They weren't even angel wings, which was her usual reply to people who asked why she had them. In her time, an easy "I'm way Catholic so I got angel wings" was sufficient enough of an explanation. A place that had no idea what angels were, much less a winged goddess was harder to explain.

"Are they raven wings? I've never seen a real raven but I've seen pictures. Or maybe a crow? I've heard there are all types of black birds in District 12."

The little Tribute from 4 had an enthusiasm about him that charmed Nemesis. For once, excitement was not poured over the Games but something simple like an apparent favorite animal. She remembered when she went through an obsessive phase over peacocks; loving their jewel-tone feathers and opulent displays.

Thinking of her home state of Maryland, she answered the young boy's inquiry.

"Yes, they're raven wings. They're very popular where I'm from. Do you like birds?"

"Yes, very much." He then started to talk her ear off about wing spans, feather makeup, and how he wished he had seen other birds other than the marine ones that populated the beach town he was from. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate them but he had studied them since he was able to walk and wanted something new. He wanted to see more and know about the different species that inhabited Panem.

"What do you like most about birds?" Nemesis indulged him.

"I like how they can fly away, go wherever they want to go."

Nemesis then understood where his fascination came from. She bet she would be fascinated by creatures that were not limited to an area by a fence.

"Not all birds can fly, you know?"

That was news to him and from his skeptical furrow in his brow she knew that he didn't really believe her.

"Yes, some of them have slick feathers that let them swim in the water like fish."

"Swim? They can go underneath the waves?" he asked fascinated. He wasn't sure if he believed her but it was a captivating idea. He had seen birds be able to swoop into the water and eat fish or even sit on top, lazily floating along like a schooner but he had never seen one actually swim under the waves as if it were a fish.

"Yes, they can swim through the water like some birds fly through the sky. But they aren't anywhere around here. They're way down in the South Pole."

"The South Pole?" the boy asked curiously, wondering how the girl knew of such places and why a developed district like 4 didn't teach such things.

"Yes, it's a continent of ice. Most penguins are black and white, they look like they're wearing formal tuxedos and they all walk like this."

The curly haired boy laughed at the funny way Nemesis walked, with her two legs together and putting weight on them that made her go side to side.

He would love to see such a creature if they existed. He was sure they would be just as free if they could swim away as much as one could fly. He wasn't sure about the supposed mad girl from 12 but she was far kinder to him than anyone had been since he had been Reaped. His male teammate hated him because he chose the other Tribute to join him. He tried to tell Skipper that he didn't mean to call his name, it was an accident. Skip was the first person he saw when he was forced to choose someone, he couldn't let his sibling be chosen; she was only a baby, but the other boy wouldn't listen and there had been animosity ever since.

"What's your name?" Nemesis asked, wanting to get to know the little Tribute.

"Decker."

"Aww you have such squishy cheeks!" Nemesis cooed not paying attention to the name the boy gave her. "I shall call you Squishy and you will be mine. And you shall be my Squishy."

In an unprecedented turn of events, she pinched his cheeks then held him in a tight embrace. Some of the staff members started to rush towards them, thinking she was attacking the younger Tribute but once Nemesis started coo in babytalk they knew she meant no harm.

Decker rather liked the attention. It certainly beat the cold shoulder most of the other Tributes gave him, even his own teammates.

"Where is this land of ice?" he asked between Nemesis fussing over how cute his hair and cheeks were.

"It's at the bottom of the world. You sail south and you keep going until you can go no further. The boat will reach a landmass of white and all you will see is ice. There are no plants. There is nothing but white glittering snow.

"Don't listen to her Decker. There's nothing outside of Panem and certainly no birds that swim like fish or lands made entirely of ice. What kind of creature could live in a frozen wasteland?" a snotty voice warned the boy.

Nemesis looked up and saw a sun tanned beach blonde with sea green eyes. The other girl was glowering at her for daring to talk to her teammate.

"The best kind of creatures, obviously." The Slayer answered; insulted that someone would slander the majestic penguin.

"Whatever, liar. Others might be afraid of you but I'm not. I know you're just trying to get into our heads and it won't work. Come on Decker, you need to learn how to hold a weapon or at least start a fire."

"I have been called some terrible and hurtful things in my life: bitch…whore…Natalie; some of them ring with just a little bit of truth but I will not be called a liar. Penguins in the South Pole are real. I even saw some on my 12th birthday. I got to feed and pet them and they danced for me and it was awesome," she recalled her favorite birthday at the Baltimore aquarium.

The pretty girl from 4 merely rolled her eyes at the ridiculous claim and grabbed Decker's hand; she led them both away from the obviously scheming girl from 12 to one of the outdoor survival stations.

"Aww my Squishy is gone."

**A/N: Yay another chapter. I like to keep chapters about 5-7k words at the most. I feel they're more "readable" that way. No idea if that's true but it is in my head. lol **

**If you want a little more depth to Glimmer's reaction, please read my one shot AU For Want of a Ring. It's Glimmer centric and gives her a back story before the Games. **

**Thanks to all who read and review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

Katniss was about to go over to Nemesis before the girl could cause a scene but Atala beat her to the punch.

"Attention Tributes! Those who did not participate in the cargo net exercise will do so now. Line up!"

The huntress was torn about trying to get Nemesis under control or following orders. When she saw the blonde girl was distracted by the camouflage station she decided it was best to do as the head trainer asked. Besides, who could really control Nemesis?

Peeta and Katniss got in line along with half a dozen others. All waiting to either do well or fail miserably but they were glad to finally get it over with. It didn't help that all of the career districts had already gone and were making it a spectator sport of snickering at those who fell and sneering at those who did a halfway decent job.

Nemesis was having fun painting with the fun rainbow of colors and getting to know the sickly duo from District 6. At least as much as one could know people who didn't talk and seemed to be in some sort of permanent haze. Even with their nonexistent conversation, the Slayer could deduce what had happened to them. At first she thought they were merely sick, perhaps they couldn't afford any kind of health care and in their uncaring society they were left to die a slow painful death from renal failure. But beyond their yellowing skin they had an unfocused sight, their pupils dilated beyond what was normal and seemed to be constantly cold despite the slight sheen of perspiration that coated them.

They weren't sick, they were going through withdrawal. Her suspicions were confirmed when two staff members in white garb come to the two and gave them an injection of something.

"What are you doing?" Nemesis asked, wondering why they would give the two more drugs when they needed to detox. The nervous ticks the two were exhibiting subsided and they seemed even more dazed but relaxed than before.

"Morphling. Their mentors said they needed a dose every few hours otherwise they're completely useless."

Nemesis was too shocked to even yell at the nurses as they disappeared as quickly as they came. The two in front of her were junkies, that much was obvious. It was bad enough that the Capitol was forcing children to fight but they didn't care if they sent in completely defenseless and probably unable to even be aware enough of what was happening addicts.

The two could sense that the Slayer was furious even through their drug induced euphoria. She instantly calmed down because the last thing she wanted was to scare them. She surprised everyone with how gentle she was with the two even though they had no way of properly communicating with her.

The members of the career pack didn't understand the girl at all. She was antagonistic to those who could help her advanced in the Games but friendly and gentle with those who were probably nothing more than Bloodbath fodder.

Did she even understand how the Games worked?

At least the girl was out of the way and not causing trouble. If she was satisfied to let the two morphling addicts paint kitten whiskers on her face and all sorts of colors then they weren't going to complain.

It wasn't until their other male District partner was in trouble did the two addicted District 6 Tributes talk.

There was some sort of commotion with the monstrous blond boy from District 2 and the gangly and tall male from 6. She heard accusations of a knife being stolen but most of it was muffled. Nemesis was prepared to ignore it because she would rather have the more pleasant company of her new friends than deal with whatever bad attitude both of the other Tributes would probably have.

She had tried talking to the other Tributes from the various districts, trying to see if any of them would be willing to become part of an alliance. Surely if they all banded together then their sheer numbers might make the career districts think again. But despite the logic of her appeal and their impending doom otherwise, they were unwilling to align themselves with her or anyone else for that matter. There were some Tributes adamant about going into the Games alone. They didn't see the point of an alliance and suspected that as soon as their back was turned any ally would take the opportunity to literally stab them in the back. They felt their odds were better alone than actually trust someone.

But the female addict, she dubbed Violet for her penchant for the purple color that she painted with the most, was agitated and worried. She didn't like that her other male partner was being harassed.

"Help him," Violet pleaded in a scratchy and broken voice, as if she wasn't used to speaking anymore and her voice box was rusty from disuse.

Nemesis looked around to see if anyone would help him but saw that people were more than willing to let Cato bully while they watched. She did see Katniss look up into the rafters and both saw the little minute girl from 11 lounging in the netting and holding one of the knives. She smirked as she was impressed that not only did the girl steal a knife but was able to get to such a height. She didn't understand what made that particular knife so special as there dozens laying around for anyone to use.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa Cato. No need to get aggressive," Nemesis said lightly as she got in-between the muscular boy and the bewildered one.

The blond looked like he was about to kill her for interfering but he kept his distance when he saw Clove in the distance behind her. His partner was wearing her distinctive stare that told him he needed to calm down.

"This doesn't concern you," he snapped at her while eyeing the staff that had gathered round. They were about to pull him off the District 6 boy but Nemesis had distracted him before they could. They were preparing to drag Cato off Madge or Nemesis, whatever the crazy girl was actually called, as they were certain that the ill tempered boy would attack anyone regardless of gender.

"Well it does if you want your knife because I know where it is."

Katniss and Rue both looked nervous as they thought the girl would tell on the latter.

They really ought not to have worried about that as Nemesis was no snitch.

"Well? Where is it then?" Cato asked impatiently.

"It's behind your ear" she stated plainly as if it were a common everyday occurrence.

She saw that he didn't believe her and was getting more and more irate by the second.

"You don't see it?" she asked him. His scowl deepened and wanted nothing more than to pummel her then and there. "None of you see it? It's right there, plain as day," she told the others.

Everyone looked nervous as they were all certain she had gone too far and she wouldn't make it past the first training day.

"Well then I guess I'll just have to grab it."

She then quickly snatched her had at his head and he flinched thinking she was going to hit him. But when her hand came back, a knife – his knife to be precise – had come back with it. His brow deepened in confusion as did everyone else's. Rue looked to the blade in her hand to make sure it was still there and it was.

No one understood how Nemesis was able to pull the blade from thin air, much less the exact copy of the one he was practicing with. Cato had chosen it specifically because it was the only one with a serration on one side and the straight blade on the other. Most were double edge throwing knives and very few varied from that. So the fuming blond boy was not kidding when he knew his specific blade was missing.

He tried to grab her hand to get his favored knife, not caring that she had somehow stolen it without his knowledge but she was too quick for him. She elegantly sidestepped him and taunted him by gracefully swishing the knife in her hand. He was surprised she was as deft with the weapon when even Clove could not boast such a talent.

"You know what is better than one blade Cato?" she asked in a sing song voice, putting on a show for all who were watching. "Three blades," She answered without giving him time to reply.

With a flick of her wrist, two more blades fanned out from her hand.

Peeta and Katniss simply stood back, used to such tricks from the girl. Nemesis had always been quick and done many sleight of hand illusions to entertain the children at the bakery or in the Seam.

The Slayer waved the knives at herself as if it were a real fan and not a trio of deadly weapons. A smile of mirth donned her face as all attention was on her and the irritation exponentially rising in Cato.

"Stop playing around and give me my blade," he gruffed out harshly, annoyed and tired of the girl's tricks.

Nemesis did stop and took his rude tone as a challenge. She wondered just how far she could push one of the career pack members and it seemed as if their dear monstrous Cato had a short temper. As quickly as she made the other knives appear she put them back together and was left with a single blade.

"You want your knife?" She asked deceptively sweet as she held out the handle for him to grasp.

He went forward to retrieve his favored blade, thinking she had finally gotten some sense and knew who she was dealing with.

But alas Nemesis was not one to give up so easily.

"Then go and get it," she teased as she flung it to the ceiling and had it stuck there.

Clove frowned at the incredible feat, only she and a few members of the staff could see it as such. The strength and precision it took to not only reach the ceiling but to have it go blade first and as deep as it went; alarm bells were ringing in her head. Her instincts were telling her that the mad girl from 12 was more than just crazy; Nemesis had talents she wasn't showcasing.

The petite brunette from 2 was also worried about her district partner. She wasn't sure if she could get to Cato in time to calm him down from the disrespect Nemesis showed him. She grimaced as he raised his hand to grab the blonde girl's wrist. She knew that he would be in an insurmountable of trouble and anger boiled inside her as well. She wondered if that was the girl's plan all along: pick off her competition before the Games even began.

It was a novel idea, to anger the other Tributes to the point they would be disqualified.

Clove's train of thought was completely derailed when instead of perhaps defending herself as a rational person would, Nemesis opted to kiss Cato instead.

Yes, she was kissing the biggest and scariest competition there was in the room and everyone was so shocked, especially the boy himself, that they didn't do anything.

Cato had no idea what was happening. At first he was incensed that Nemesis would be so disrespectful and foolish to get him angry that he started to lash out. He didn't plan on hitting her, he did have more control than that, but he was going to show her who had the upper hand. But the next thing he knew her soft lips were on his and she stole his first kiss.

She tasted sweet and tangy from all the fruit she horded and refused to share at lunch. His brain stopped working when all he could focus on was her supple body pressed against his and how nice it actually felt to kiss someone. He had seen some of the older trainees at the Academy flirt and even sneak off, thinking them idiotic to get attached to someone romantically when they could possibly end up having to kill the other in the Games. Then there was the disgrace of being caught in relations before marriage. To conceive or father bastards was the pinnacle of shame for a family, the only things more heinous would be to die in the Bloodbath or refuse the council's gift of being chosen to enter the Games.

Still, with the pleasant heat that generated between them and the closeness of another person he began to see why it was a temptation. He had never felt before a woman's lips upon his or her legs wrapped around his waist as she had done while they shared the intimate action; without thinking he held her up and let his hands explore a female's body for the first time. A jolt of electrifying pleasure rushed through him as she rubbed against him, wondering why he thought shame upon his family wasn't worth the risk.

Nemesis didn't know why she kissed him other than he was looking rather cute all riled up and it had been a really, really, realllllllyyyyyy long time since she'd been with anyone much less kiss them. She didn't stop to think that he would pretty much kill her without even an iota of hesitation, although she hoped some sort of guilt as proof of his humanity which she was certain they all had underneath it all, but she was not really a stop and think kind of person. She acted on instinct and urges; so far it's worked out for her.

In the sense that she wasn't dead. That counted as working out. At least she thought so.

She abruptly ended the kiss and giggled at his somewhat dazed expression. He was at a loss for words but she never was.

"You're cute when you're angry," she meant sincerely but then playfully nipped her teeth together as if she were about to bite him but just stopped right before she hit flesh. Then she jumped down from him and strolled away, leaving him completely dumbfounded, Clove aghast at the behavior, and Glimmer incensed that someone was encroaching on her territory. Seduction was her game plan!

The beauty from District 1 was not the only angry one. Atala was livid at the complete and utter bedlam of the day and it all stemmed from the second female from District 12. She wanted to shout and scream some sort of punishment but she had exhausted her options. Nothing the girl did was technically against the rules. The female didn't hit or hurt another Tribute, she wasn't stealing, nor was she attempting to escape. The head trainer already took away the precious lessons her staff could teach the girl but she seemed to have no desire to learn.

Nemesis had nothing to lose and nothing to keep her in line. Atala thought about possibly punishing the girl's partners but she wasn't sure she would be able to do that. As far as the rules went, there were no formal partnerships and everyone was considered an independent entity. Certainly some allied themselves with another but those were always broken at some point. The Capitol wanted a show and each mentor could complain that their Tributes were being mistreated and given an unfair advantage. The betting Citizens would agree, especially if they had a favorite one picked out and if rumors could be trusted, all were fascinated by the "Girl on Fire" and "Mad Madge." The first District 12 female and the two males had nothing to do with the girl and the other female was proving popular. She couldn't risk the ire of the Citizens or worse Snow if she caused trouble. The girl was just going to cause chaos and there was nothing she could do about it.

She just stared at the back of the girl's pink blonde head as she talked with the first District 6 male, hoping that somehow her eyes could punish the girl and teach her a lesson.

The skin crawling on the back of her neck told Nemesis someone was thinking hateful and hurtful thoughts at her but she brushed it off. The Eye of Horus tattoo on her neck made sure no one with the Evil Eye could do any harm to her and she wasn't surprised because she was certain she riled more than a few feathers that day.

She contemplated the boy before her. He was good looking; tall with chocolate brown eyes, a mop of straight black hair, an olive complexion, a strong jaw line, and some sort of exotic heritage. Possibly Native South American she thought, or perhaps some sort of Pacific Islander.

"Why did you help me?" He asked, curious as to why the girl helped him when she was perfectly happy riling up everyone else. He also didn't miss that she was conversing, or as close as one could get with morphlings, with the sickly ones from his district. He looked over to the pair, mindlessly lost in their paints and happy. If he didn't feel so guilty about them being in the Games at all he'd be a little jealous. At least they could escape the cruel world they lived in even if it came at such a high price.

"Violet asked me to," she replied.

"Violet?"

He had no idea who she was referring to as it was not the morphling girl's name.

"The girl…I don't know her name. They don't really speak."

"Oh…right. It's Maglev…most call her Maggie."

"What's the boy's name?"

"Diesel," he responded but he was starting to get uncomfortable with the conversation. It didn't do anyone any good to be too close to their competition and he had the added bonus of being responsible for condemning the pair to the Games. He knew that his first district partner only chose Maggie to follow his example. If they had to choose someone, they figured it best to choose children with no hope.

"So you know them?"

He just shrugged, not sure why she was still talking to him. She was looking at him expectantly, wanting more of an answer and he was getting defensive as he didn't like talking about the terrible thing he had done.

"I guess…I mean we all went to the same school together. District 6 is only so big and we all have to go to the same school for training…they weren't there long before…"

"Before?"

"They got hooked on morphling. And it's not like I had a choice, OK? So don't judge me for picking the two morphling addicts because…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa no judging here. I'm just curious. I know we all had a fucked up Reaping. I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on you."

"Fucked up?" he asked himself quietly, unsure of what the girl was saying.

"Why did you pick them?" she pressed on. She knew she was pressing him but she needed to know. The why was as important as the who.

He remained silent as he felt it should be an obvious answer. He chose them because they'd be easy to beat…at least that's what everyone should think. It's why anyone chose who they picked, wasn't it?

"Come on, I know you didn't choose them because you knew you could beat them," continued on, as if reading his mind.

"You're not those douche bags from District 1 or 2," she explained further when he was surprised she had deduced his reasoning.

"Douche bags?

He was getting more and more puzzled as the girl went on.

"I saw your Reaping…you definitely didn't look like someone who had a plan in mind. So what gives? Why choose them?"

He wasn't sure how she knew he wasn't as pragmatic as the others were but with her looking so deeply at him, it unnerved him how it felt she could see past his lies. How she could see past anything he put up. That unnerved feeling turned into impatience as he gave her the honest answer despite knowing how weak it sounded, she would know if he was lying anyway.

"Fine, you're right. I'm not like the others who probably will have no trouble winning the Games; because choosing someone easy to kill is the smart choice right? I mean, who wouldn't to save their life and lead a life of riches and glory. You want to know why I chose Maggie and Diesel? Because both of their parents are dead. Diesel's died in a rail laying accident and Maggie's lost to morphling. They're stuck at the Community Home with no supervision because guess what? All the staff is hooked on morphling too. Squalor would be a step up for what they have to live in. Don't even ask me what they do to get the drugs. Let's just say that there are plenty Peacekeepers with coin that like teenagers or even younger and gender isn't a deterrent either. It seems that the Propriety Laws apply to everyone but Peacekeepers when it comes to same sex and age restrictions. Why did I choose them? Because once upon a time they were something close to resembling friends. As cruel as it is to send them into the Games in their condition, at least they'll get a week of proper food, care, a warm bed, and they won't ever have to go back to that horrible place ever again."

So that was it, that's why he chose them. She was right, he didn't pick them because they'd be easy to defeat. He chose them as a mercy. He was angry that their best solution was to die in the Games because anything they had back where they called home would do nothing for them.

It felt good to finally unburden himself of the guilt that he had bringing the two addicts to the Capitol. He finally voiced the reasons for his choice. When it was all laid for Nemesis to see, he saw that it wasn't an easy choice but it was the best one he had. He chose two who had no future other than suffering addiction, abuse, and poverty. Not that the non-addicts of his district were all that better off but as long as they stayed away from drugs and lived past the Reaping, they could make a somewhat decent living. At least according to the Capitol's standard; they would work, have children, and hope their progeny wouldn't have to be in the Games. Repeat.

He was surprised when he didn't see judgment in the girl's eyes but he could only describe as compassion, something rather foreign to him. He was expecting no one to understand what he did other than Kilo, his female partner who was avoiding everyone at all costs. The most he hoped for was that people congratulated him for making a wise decision, to better his odds in the Games. The worst would be that they would condemn him for being spiteful. In some eyes he might as well picked someone just out of toddling for all the morphlings could understand or do anymore. There were plenty of his non-addicted peers that were smaller and weaker than him but at least had their wits about them enough to give them a small fighting chance.

"It wasn't an easy choice they gave you and anyone who judges you for making it can suck it. What's your name?"

"Myles," he replied softly, feeling an understanding between the two. Despite her madness, the girl saw far more than anyone gave her credit for. And her understanding made him feel better than he thought he ever could feel about his choices.

"Well Myles, what do you say about an alliance?"

He regarded her for a minute, never in a million years thinking he'd ever join an alliance as it was something only the strongest Tributes entered into such as the Careers. He didn't know the girl and the entire day she had made it clear she was a few rails short of a hover track. But there was something that buzzed beneath his skin and rattled his bones. Something he wasn't sure of was telling him that he could trust her which probably made him as insane as her. Even the Careers didn't trust each other; they merely understood and agreed that they would kill all others first before they turned on each other.

So despite the logic that screamed at him to not trust anyone and it'd be better to go at it alone, he nodded his acceptance.

Unbeknownst to him, the chill he felt when he made an alliance with Nemesis was him changing his fate.

Nemesis whistled a happy tune during the last hours of the first day of training. She was happy with the way things were going. She had managed to put the fear of God into just about everybody even if they didn't know it. Atala was watching her like a hawk and jumped every time she made any sudden movements, as if the head trainer was ready to hop on her at a moment's notice and quell any mischief she might cause.

So just to be obnoxious, she would every so often move swiftly one way or another to cause the woman to have a heart attack. She could feel the hatred Atala had for her grow every time and was thankful the head trainer did not have the power to kill with her thoughts because she was certain she'd be dead several times over by then.

Atala wasn't the only one watching her. The Career pack, most notably Glimmer, was eying her with hate except for Cato. He seemed to be confused on whether to detest her or want more contact.

"_Oh I'm about to make some bad choices tonight_," she thought to herself gleefully as the heated gaze of the well muscled male raked over her.

When they saw that she found their attempts at intimidation amusing they set their sights on Peeta. He had finally gone his round on the cargo net and like most of the others, failed and hit the ground. There was an exchange between him and Katniss. She wasn't sure what the brunette told him but whatever it was, he decided he should throw a 100lb spiked medicine ball to a rack of throwing spears.

Nemesis assumed it was a tactic because the pack no longer sneered at him but were impressed by the show of strength.

She saw it as an opportunity.

"What?! I didn't know we could just throw shit around. Count me in."

The look on everyone's face as they feared she would start tossing things and causing more disaster was priceless.

But when she "tried" to pick up a smaller medicine ball, about a third of the weight of what Peeta threw, she pretended not to be able to even lift it. Some snickered at her attempt to wield the metal ball and her struggles to even move it.

When it was apparent she would not live up to the awesomeness that was Peeta, she simply ran to the nearest rack and tipped it over.

Some of the braver Tributes actually chortled at her tom foolery, especially at the throbbing vein that appeared on Atala's forehead.

The day was finally over and all were dismissed. The head trainer waited until everyone had gone before she crumpled to the floor, held her head in her hands and cried.

* * *

><p>Dinner in the District 12 suite was an interesting affair.<p>

Haymitch kept his promise to limit his alcohol intake and be level headed enough to actually mentor them. Nemesis almost died of shock when one of the servants dressed in fire engine red tried to pour a blue spirit concoction she could only assume was Romulan Ale into his glass and he actually put his hand over his flute to signal he didn't want any. The Slayer could appreciate that at the very least Haymitch was a man of his word.

The problem was that his sober personality wasn't any more pleasant that his drunkard one. It was apparent that he was a snarky bastard no matter his condition.

Nemesis was happy to just half listen as Haymitch unsuccessfully tried to tactfully tell his Tributes their strengths and weaknesses. But there was no nice way of saying Katniss's dour disposition, Jasper being completely forgettable, Peeta's quaint but also getting boring charm, and Nemesis' insanity was not working as well for them as it could. That somehow snowballed into Katniss vs. Peeta on who could list the attributes of the other that would help them survive the Games even if they couldn't get sponsors. Even Jasper, the quietest of the group joined in, the stress of the Games finally getting to him. Apparently they were all adamant that they were going to die and the others would survive.

With the exception of Effie, she was positive that everyone at the table knew Katniss could shoot and that Jasper and Peeta were strong. The latter two had been lifting heavy crates of produce and 100 lbs of flour respectively since they could help their family business. Both were able bodied boys but only Peeta had placed in their schools wrestling matches. Jasper stared at his food and did not look up once, not wanting to fight anymore as his days were numbered and didn't want to waste any more energy on a pointless squabble.

"Jeez, I guess I'm just a talentless nobody. I feel the love guys," Nemesis joked to ease some of the tension that went on between her two friends. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but there was some vibes going on between Katniss and Peeta. It wasn't bad vibes but there was definite chemistry electrifying the air. The huntress' normal taciturn and even nature was riled in the face of the baker's son. She had never seen her friends so out of sorts and if she didn't know any better she would call it sexual tension. But given the huntress's quizzical reaction to her deep throating a banana that afternoon, Katniss didn't know her ass from her elbow when it came to sex.

Peeta ignored Nemesis, too angry that Katniss was not doing her best to show Haymitch she deserved all of their mentor's attention and therefore best her chances of winning the Games.

"You know what my mother said to me before I left? 'It looks like District 12 may finally have a winner.' But she wasn't talking about me. She was talking about **you**."

Finally not being able to take anymore, Peeta angrily got up without excusing himself and stormed to his room.

"Well that was dramatic," Nemesis unnecessarily pointed out as she continued to eat, unable to keep quiet in any circumstance as silence made her nervous.

"Besides flapping your mouth, what is it that you do?" Mr. Abernathy quipped impatiently, wondering if the girl had any other talent other than getting herself in trouble.

"Well I can knit like nobodies' business; I can make a sweater in like a month. True story. I'm super awesome at baking and…I can do magic."

"Say what now?"

"Magic!" she said dramatically and added spirit fingers for flair.

With his booze he was not inclined to be tolerant and without it he was even less impressed.

"Magic?"

"Yes."

"Besides the fact that there is no such thing as magic and no one has believed in it since ancient times…"

"Yeah?" she questioned, interrupting him. "If magic doesn't exist, then how did I get this gold coin?"

She produced the money in front of her and waved it in his face. He glowered and wondered how much he should humor her or should he ignore her then count down the minutes until he was safely in his room and could drink himself into oblivion.

"You stole it from Ms. Trinket's purse. I saw you going through it earlier," Jasper chimed in, scoffing at her claim at magic.

"**Madge Undersee**, how could you?!" Effie sputtered, uncomprehending how someone could be so rude as to go through her personal property.

"Well, watch in amazement how I make the coin disappear," Nemesis went on, ignoring her chaperone. With a dramatic flair of her hands, the coin was gone and she expected nothing short of complete and utter adulation of her obviously fantastical gifts.

Both Jasper and Haymitch stared at her with matching unimpressed countenances.

"Nemesis, give me back my money right this instant," Effie commanded wanting to assert her authority.

"I don't have it, Haymitch does," she replied with a pout as no one was giving her the exaltation she wanted.

"Girl, what are you talking about? Don't drag me into this," he gruffed out, not wanting to again be in the bad graces of his Games colleague.

"Hey, it's in his front pocket. Check, I dare you."

The District 12 Victor frowned, unsure of what Nemesis was up to and certain that he did not have Effie's money. But he reached into his front shirt pocket to prove her wrong, his frown deepened when his hand pulled away the alleged cash and he wondered how in the world she managed to slip it in there. He would have noticed it when he was putting on the shirt as it was a thin piece of silk that the Capitol favored. He hasn't encountered her from when he forced himself out of his room and to the dinner table.

"Haymitch, you shouldn't encourage her to play tricks. It is very irresponsible and setting a bad example," she admonished him, certain that he was playing along with the girl to upset her. Her nerves have never been as overexcited as they have been in the past few days and she didn't know what to do with herself. All afternoon the chaperone had to deal with complaints from the training staff about her charge. The Gamemakers were a bit more charitable with their assessments but gave a warning that the girl was dangerously close to sedition and they would hate to have to "deal accordingly" with such a spirited girl. The audiences loved a "bad girl" but Snow would not tolerate such antics if he thought it was…unpatriotic.

Effie knew exactly what happened to traitors and she swallowed hard at the sight of Avoxes. She already had to deal with Katniss' questions about the servants in red. She didn't know that the huntress did know one of them but Peeta had saved the day. If the escort was worried about being labeled a traitor, she'd have a heart attack if one of her charges was found guilty of going outside their district borders and witness the Peacekeepers capture the runaway.

Haymitch was quick to defend himself and she was certain that he was lying. That turned into more childish bickering and Nemesis grew bored with it.

"Oh my God guys, just fuck and get it out of your system already," she lamented to the pair that clearly had years of pent up sexual frustration written all over their relationship. No one bickered as much as they did over such small trivial things unless they desperately wanted as much of the other's attention as possible.

"I beg your pardon?" Effie asked affronted. Katniss had explained to her what the crude word meant and she flustered at the insinuation. She ignored the guilty little voice inside her head that adamantly rejoiced at the thought of the handsome Victor's hands all over her. To quiet that voice, which was getting way too loud those days for comfort, she examined her nails and planned what design she wanted for the next day. To coordinate as well as she did took up all her concentration and she didn't look that nice by accident.

"You guys are way too tense. Everyone here is way too tense. We need a way to relax you guys before you have a stroke."

Haymitch could see the wheels turning in his charge's mind and a sense of foreboding washed over him, second only to the minute wait on the platforms in the Arena. He just knew that she as up to something no good and he debated on whether or not to actually step up his authority. Doing so would require effort and a sobriety he wasn't sure he could handle. Then again the Capitol did hold him responsible for his Tributes but whether or not that included reigning in their behavior was debatable. He could only coach them in making themselves appealing to the Capitol and by all measures Nemesis was doing that in her own obnoxious way. As absurd as her behavior was, it was an attention grabber and she was the talk of high society. It wasn't always the most flattering of conversation but she was being talked about and on everybody's mind. Between her, Katniss, and Peeta; District 12 was the shining star of the Games that year.

Good or bad, publicity was the lifeblood of the Games. Much to his disgust, he had two sides battling over whether or not Nemesis would outlast or die quickly. She was certainly making herself a target by antagonizing the Career Pack but others were bored with District's 1, 2, and 4 always winning. Some were betting with enough sponsorship, the girl could win by sheer force of will and living to spite the others.

Nemesis was definitely the type to live just to annoy her enemies.

"Here, if you want the money back so bad. Take five," Nemesis rolled her eyes at how out of shape her escort was being over one lousy gold coin. She assumed they weren't worth all that much, thinking they were like Sacagawea golden dollars which wouldn't even buy a bottle of water in her time. But to Effie and in the Capitol each were worth at least an entire paycheck and the chaperone was saving it for emergencies such as a replacement wig. Beauty did not come cheaply. When Nemesis tossed the currency - Haymitch was unsure of how she got it back without his knowledge but he assumed all the years of drinking have made him a bit slow witted or that she had multiple coins to begin with - and when it landed, five gleaming and perfectly minted Panem Capitol Golden coins lay in front of the Prussian blue – the color du jour - wigged Citizen.

Now Effie was shocked and worried that Nemesis had stolen money from others because there was no possibility anyone would have that much money on their person unless they were the President or another high official. She ran through the list of names that the girl would have come in contact that day and could have taken it from. Certainly none of the training staff, even the worn out head trainer, would have carried such a fortune. The Capitol Citizen was a hairs breath away from a full on panic attack when the likely target were one of the Gamemakers themselves.

"You know what we need?" she asked the table, unaware of the turmoil her caretakers were under.

"What?" Maximus asked still under her influence even though every other person at the table was starting to learn not to engage in her insanity.

"A Bacchanalia," Nemesis said with a subdued awe and reference, ignoring their puzzled faces. She was intent on something and nothing would stop her from getting to that goal now that the seed had been planted.

It wasn't the first nonsense word she had spoken and Haymitch was certain that she spent half her time simply making things up. He didn't know of any other way Nemesis could have such a patchwork vocabulary.

The Slayer was now focused on something and nothing short of the end of the world would deter her from her goal.

"Max," she spoke directly to her stylist with her nickname for him. "Come to my room. We have a grand event to plan."

The head stylist got up with perfect obedience and Effie wondered if he was on some kind of mood altering drug and with having to deal with Nemesis she couldn't blame him. They were all the rage that season but he had a job to do and following the orders of a Tribute wasn't one of them. She tried to discourage him but he wouldn't listen. She contemplated reporting him to the Gamemakers but that would only get the others in trouble as well. If she wanted to get promoted then having a losing team that caused a multitude of issues wasn't the way to go about it.

Things were not going to plan and they were way off schedule. To help her relax, Effie pulled out her notebook and organized for the next day. A fabulous outfit didn't put itself together. She needed anything to distract her from the possibility that they would all be charged with treason in the coming days.

Nemesis and Maximus poured over plans and designs for the Bacchanalia for three hours. The stylist left with a stack of dress designs and a list of supplies she would need to pull the celebration off. He obeyed as the mind control still held strong. He was able to ignore the terror he would have otherwise felt at the sheer cost of everything she wanted. He didn't care he would go into debt and possible would have to join the Peacekeepers as a result. Maximus only made entry level stylist money, which wasn't nearly enough to keep up a typical Capitol Citizen's lifestyle, but he could make things work. With the party, however, he would have to max out every line of credit he had. But a party was a party and Nemesis wanted it.

Whatever the girl desired he would provide.

**A/N: Sweet, a party is on the horizon! lol **

**I did a little background on Dist 6, wanting to explore more of the hinted at District wide issue of morphling addiction. **

**Hope everyone enjoyed and thanks for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

**Warning: Heterosexual good times ahead.**

By the time Nemesis emerged from her room to see Maximus off, most had retired to their rooms. Not everyone went straight to sleep but they did whatever nightly rituals they did before going to bed. In a normal house, most might stay up and relax in the living room; maybe watch some TV or even read a book. But the Tribute Tower, as luxurious as it was, did not promote a comfortable homey atmosphere. They were all prisoners and no one forgot that. They all went to their silk carpeted cells with platinum fixtures and did their best to unwind from the day.

It also didn't help that there was a raging party going on outside the Tower, the noise vibrating the windows all the way up to the 12th floor suite.

The Tributes were not distracted only by the festivities; it was hard not to dwell on their upcoming deaths. In the end they would all be alone because no one could count on anyone else in the Hunger Games. If only one could win then betrayal was inevitable and some people didn't bother at all with an alliance.

Her stylist left and she was alone in the dark, even the servants had retreated for the evening. Nemesis looked out the great windows and saw a city lit up with life. Even the ground all the way in the twelfth floor suite hummed gently with the sound of booming music in the distance. The parties were coming into a full swing as they got closer to the Games.

Too bad every Citizen, from toddlers to the elderly, were celebrating and toasting to the Tributes' future deaths. Maximus had explained there were always great parties every night leading up to the tournament. During the matches everyone would be indoors, glued to their televisions; watching and cheering as every Tribute fell until there was only one. Then the BIG party would be celebrated and it was said to last for an entire month. Some cursing their odds because they had chosen the losing Tribute; others would be bragging and rolling in their riches won off the blood of children.

The Citizens had nothing else to base their life around other than the Games and what clothes they wore. The Hunger Games were the most exciting thing in their lives and they looked forward to it every year.

Nemesis had the urgent need to burn it all to the ground, her back twisting and aching with the injustice of it all. The Capitol was a testament to Man's arrogance, greed, cruelty, and indifference to human life. She could probably spend the rest of her days meting out vengeance for their hubris. It would be so simple; to just let the goddess take over and justice would be served swiftly and mercilessly. With the way she was feeling, it would be nothing short of what they deserved. But the compassionate side of her swayed her into waiting. The down side to the vengeance goddess was that she only saw in black and white. The real Nemesis would scourge the city and pay no mind to who met her fury. Adult and child alike would pay the price of the few who were guilty. That was something the Slayer could not abide by. Although children partook in the savagery, she knew that it wasn't their fault. They didn't know any better and she couldn't with good conscience submit to the higher power to wipe them all out. Genocide was never the answer no matter the collective sin.

Peeta walked behind her and she could hear him as soon as he moved within his room.

Stealth was not his strong point.

"I could hear you a mile away. I hope you'll be a bit lighter footed in the Games," she said to him while still facing the window.

The baker's son paused then blushed a pretty peach hue; embarrassed to be caught and given survival advice by someone who was by all accounts had nothing to live for if her behavior at training that day was any indication, not to mention had a shock of bright pink hair that almost glowed in the dark.

"Well, look who suddenly cares about strategizing in the Games. Any other pearls of wisdom you'd like to dole out?"

He was being sarcastic but she didn't mind giving him her game plan.

"Actually I do have a fool proof plan. Want to hear it?"

"Sure," he said humoring her knowing if he said no she'd say it anyway.

"My grand plan is…to not have a plan. Genius, no?"

He remained silent and wouldn't even dignify her insanity with more inquisitions. Besides, she had already said as much when he questioned her earlier and tended to her wound. He wasn't sure how no plan turned into THE plan and he didn't want to know.

"Oh, Peeta. You can't see the absolute brilliance in it so I shall explain. If I have no idea what I'm doing, then no one can predict my next move."

He wasn't sure if she really was a secret strategic mastermind or if he was going mental as well because her explanation actually made sense. In the interview portion of the Games he had seen Tribute after Tribute explain their strategy; some more realistic than others but for all their best laid plans, the Gamemaker's always had a hidden card up their sleeve. They all predicted the Tribute's moves and altered the Game accordingly. Supposedly it was to even out the odds. If one Tribute was adept at foraging, all the edible plant life would die off. If one was skilled in a weapon, then someone would get impenetrable armor.

If Nemesis had hidden talents and strengths with no set pattern then the Gamemaker's wouldn't be able to alter the arena to kill her, at least not without a blanket move that would probably kill too many other Tributes at one time. It had been done before with the 70th Hunger Games and Annie Cresta, the flood had wiped out all Tributes but her due to her ability to swim. It was considered a dull Games because at first too few had died then with the flood too many, including the Career pack, had died all at the same time. It was a move not to be repeated.

She was just crazy enough to win the Games. As much as it hurt him to think it, he couldn't let that happen.

"Don't suppose you want some midnight delight?" The Slayer offered as Peeta looked pensive.

Peeta didn't know what that was but knowing Nemesis and her suggestive tone he suspected it meant sex.

"It's only 10:00pm and no."

"Jeez, what do I have to do get laid around here? Am I ugly or something?"

The question surprised Peeta as he never pegged Nemesis to be self conscious about her looks.

"What?"

"Am I not pretty by District 12's standards? Like do you all think I'm hideous or something? Because you and Gale both turned me down flat and it's enough to make a girl think she's ugly."

Peeta contemplated her words and was at a loss. In what world did she grow up in where sex equated with attractiveness and it was given away so freely? How could anyone give themselves to someone so casually and not think of the consequences? Children were given as sacrifices to the Hunger Games, more so for poorer ones. It was made clear to Peeta from the time he was starting to hit puberty that not only fathering bastards was a blight on their good name but a cruelty to any child he would sire. The world was pitiless enough with the Hunger Games, a child with no name it was even worse. No doubt he would end up in the Seam if he had children before he was able to earn his own money. His place in his father's bakery was not guaranteed being the third son. So he, like all children in the Merchant Quarter, was strictly advised against dalliances.

Marriage and family were not something to take lightly and lying with a girl was the quickest route to both. He always thought Nemesis was merely joking before with all her lewd comments but now he saw that she was serious.

"Have you been seriously propositioning me this entire time?"

"Ummm…yeah."

"How…why…" he was speechless. The sheer irresponsibility of her proposal was beyond his understanding. Of course he had thought about sex before; many times, especially in the summer when Katniss would wear a sleeveless tank top that showed off her fit arms and slim figure. He couldn't even count all the times he would lose himself to fantasies late at night in the safe darkness of his own room. But those were just fantasies; he was certainly never going to voice them out loud or try to dishonor his huntress with the idea of physically showing his love without a Toasting. Not without getting a steady job first and proposing marriage which was the dominate daydream of his; far above any other dream he had involving the miner's daughter.

"Has being in the Capitol finally fried your brain?" Nemesis asked when Peeta couldn't answer.

He frowned as he did not appreciate being made light of in such a dire situation.

"No, Mari…Nemesis. I don't think you're ugly. I think you're beautiful. I just don't…" he struggled for the words to explain.

"Put out? OK, that's cool I can understand that…I guess. To each their own etc…But just to be clear, I'm pretty right? And otherwise you would take me in a manly fashion?"

"Sure."

"OK then I'm going to head out."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see if Cato is more willing to get horizontal with me. Night."

She had to be joking, there was no way in all twelve districts could she be serious. Not only would it be impossible to actually get access to District 2's suite, none of the doors locked and he knew the roof garden was open all day and night but that didn't mean mentors would let outside Tributes walk into their suite, but even then Nemesis wouldn't sleep with the enemy.

Peeta really didn't know her as well as he thought he did.

* * *

><p>Dinner at the District 2 suite did not go as smoothly as any of them hoped. Reports of Nemesis' behavior and Cato's subsequent reactions did not amuse Brutus or Enobaria in the slightest.<p>

While Cato had the best odds of their group, it did not exempt him from being scolded by their mentors. If anything, they expected more out of him and would put more pressure on him to not lose his focus. It was bad enough the seductress from District 1 had her sights set on him, it wouldn't do for another pretty girl willing to do whatever it took to win the Games to distract him.

Clove was quick to defend him, stating that Cato just happened to be around and the girl was crazy. The mad girl from 12 probably would have kissed anyone in the situation that was of close enough proximity. Not to mention none of them in 2 were trained to deal with such tactics, she pointed out acidly; clearing insinuating their training was subpar and it was their Mentor's job to coach them for every possible ploy, essentially shifting the blame.

Cato appreciated her words but he was slightly put off by the idea that he didn't mean anything to Nemesis. As absurd as it sounded, he didn't like the idea that his first kiss meant nothing to the other partner. He remained unusually quiet as he didn't want to betray the foreign feelings he felt. He was the Cato Marson, any girl would be ecstatic to have such a catch. He was going to win the 75th Hunger Games and he would have the pick of any girl in District 2.

He could understand rage and arrogance. Enjoying physical contact with a female was novel to him. He knew all about physical pleasure. As soon as his body had sexually mature to the point the boys needed the "special talk" he was encouraged to find his own release and not with one of the female trainees. Any girl caught with child was immediately expelled as well as the father. There had been times when a girl would accuse the wrong male, a strategy she concocted with a rich male trainee to get rid of competition and promise of pay later on but with a quick amniotic DNA test, the actual father was soon confirmed and ejected from the program. Both all but guaranteed to end up in the Quarry and on tesserae. If the trainees' families were rich enough, they could terminate the pregnancy and pretend their children were merely kicked out due to lack of skill but neither option was acceptable.

Cato, Clove, Seppia, and Nero all knew the consequences of dalliances and were told to be on high alert from anyone in District 1. The luxury manufacturers were notorious for bedding and seducing other Tributes to get ahead in the Games. If rumors were correct then Cashmere and Gloss were not only pros but were teaching their Tributes everything they knew. Whispers of a massive sponsor account already filled with golden coins for Glimmer made their way to Enobaria. The District 2 Victor was not about to let the blonde little harlot sink her claws into the most promising Tribute to come from the mason district in decades.

Enobaria was certain that even Marvel and Champagne, though vapid as they may seem, were told to flirt with Clove and Seppia. Enobaria was all too aware of how far some Tributes were willing to go to get under the skin of their competition. While trained killers, they were still young girls who could fall into the trap of a handsome suitor.

Pretty faces hid dark intentions.

Despite being in the Capitol with much fewer rules, even for Tributes, the militaristic District 2 citizens retired for the night relatively early. Although others either stayed up due to stress or were partying till the dawn, Cato and everyone else went to their respective rooms. They were expected to shower then go straight to sleep. They all knew the importance of slumber and how a tired Tribute was a dead Tribute.

Cato was used to short showers to save water, the precious resource he was taught not to waste. Normally taking no more than five minutes, ten at most if he was especially filthy, to wash then get out but that night was an exception. He was particularly tense as he went over the day's events. He had expected to go in and intimidate the competition as well as utterly impress the Gamemakers. Brutus had already heard of nicknames for him, The Beast of the Arena. His sheer size was enough to get Capitol Citizens excited.

For once in his life, he would luxuriate in the shower. The water was plentiful and with Capitol technology, the cascade would never go cold.

Although he stood perfectly still, his mind was whirling with everything he was scolded about. The nonstop talk of warning him not to have sex made him think of nothing but.

Glimmer was beautiful, perfect even. She had flawless skin, straight pearly white teeth, sparkling green eyes, and flowing silky gold blonde hair. Not only was she willing to warm his bed for scant protection but she was beauty personified.

Nemesis, on the other hand, was pretty. Plain brown eyes and her hair was a shocking pink, a little too like the horrifying Capitol getups he's seen since getting there. She was a bit too tall to be considered feminine and her curves were lacking compared to Glimmers but it was the strange girl that commanded his thoughts.

The top female for District 1 was cold where Nemesis was warm, the latter was lively and although manic had a zeal for life he had never seen before. The girl wasn't obsessed with fashion and didn't wear it as a badge; she artfully wore her beauty and celebrated in it. Every inch of Glimmer was planned and carefully executed. With the District 12 girl he could tell she was confident in her looks and didn't have the constant and compulsive need to keep checking the mirror that his escorts or Glimmer had. After every exercise, Glimmer would take a moment to check to make sure her hair was still in place and her smile still dazzling. He could sense that she wasn't nearly as interested in him as she led on. He wasn't a rich Capitol Citizen who paid good coin to pretend her words and caresses were just for him if rumors from his mentors could be trusted. He was nothing but a target and what stood between her and the Victor's Crown. She had no sense of honor for the Games like Clove or Seppia who would never dishonor themselves for the crown; they could rely on pure lethal talent.

Glimmer was a survivor who used what weapons she did posses, her looks, and nothing more.

Nemesis was a mystery, nothing like any girl he had ever known or was warned about. While Glimmer had the classical beauty; the mad girl from 12 an unidentifiable allure that he couldn't shake, no matter how much his Mentors and Clove warned him.

All he could think about was her wrapped around his waist, her mouth on his and her hands running through his hair. Little shocks of electricity ran down his back when he recalled how good she felt in his arms.

With every day of his life meticulously planned since attending the Academy, Nemesis was the shock of spontaneity he didn't know was missing in his life. For the first time he was taken by surprise and it wasn't as frightening as he was led to believe it was. It was…enjoyable. In the Games, unknown risk factors could be the difference between life and death for him. But he knew in his gut that Nemesis was not a risk. She was hiding something that much he knew for sure but he couldn't shake how kind she was to the lesser Tributes. He had never seen such kindness from anyone and knew it would be her downfall.

She didn't seem to care though. Nemesis was going to do what she wanted to do and to the Tribute's catacombs to anything that told her otherwise. Her reaction to Atala's dire warning was proof of that.

That kind of brashness and careless bravery was something he begrudgingly admired. Fear couldn't touch her and she'd go farther in the Games than anyone else would give her credit for; if he allowed her, which he wouldn't.

Cato would need to kill her as soon as possible, he knew that immediately. She was a threat to his Victor's crown in more ways than one. Although he would never admit it, he was attracted to her in ways his mentors warned him about. His thoughts were already commandeered by her and he didn't need that kind of distraction while in the arena. Glimmer he could brush off, Nemesis was worming her way into his mind that he could not afford.

In the Games, hesitation killed more than Gamemaker traps or Tributes did combined.

Still, in the privacy of his shower he could let his mind wander and indulge in self gratification that was acceptable to society.

He had heard locker room talk and other rumors of girls putting their mouth on boys, something Nemesis had exhibited an ability to do during lunch. His brutal upbringing for the Games had made him weary of such an act, thinking that any male would be a fool to trust another's teeth so intimately attached to the sensitive and vulnerable organ. He couldn't imagine trusting anyone so complicity. It would give females far more power than he would ever think to give them but he could imagine Nemesis doing such an act so effortlessly.

His cock stood proudly under the streaming water, desperately needing attention as he thought about Nemesis kneeling in the shower with him. He particularly liked the scene playing out in his head, water flowing over her slim body and supple lips around him; her mouth warm and wet as the water. He closed his eyes, rested his head against the delicate porcelain tile, and pumped his hand up and down his length, the water lubricating the motion; the friction causing pleasure to ricochet through his body. His imagination would not simply keep her on her knees, remembering how amazing she felt in his arms and wanting to hold her again. Instead of the training uniform obscuring her skin, he imagined running his hands freely up and down her body; her mouth again on his, enjoying the memory of such close contact and pleasurable pressure. His imagination started to run wild as he thought of what it would be like to be inside her, unbidden by the restrictions of the Academy or Panem.

Merely thinking of doing such forbidden acts only heightened his excitement, thinking of breaking the rules in such a rigid society. In his mind he was open to do whatever he wanted and knowing how wild and unruly Nemesis could be only intensified the fantasy. She didn't seem the type to follow any laws but her own and he craved such freedom to do so. In the Tribute Tower and the solitude of the lavish shower, he could imagine a world he could do as he pleased.

After several moments of letting his imagination run untamed with all the things he wished he could do with her, picturing her wicked smile and perfect teeth nipping at him playfully he came harder than any self pleasuring session he ever had. Some of the girls in his training classes were pretty enough but nothing could come close to Nemesis' feral beauty.

He finally got out of the shower, catching his breath from the intense session; toweling off and making sure to avoid his still sensitive member. It was a nice daydream that he was sure he would use again, perhaps that very night, and hopefully he would be even less tempted to take Glimmer up on her not so subtle offers.

While Cato walked leisurely into his room and went straight to the bureau to gather his night clothes, Nemesis lounged on his bed and enjoyed the view unbeknownst to him.

"_District 2 does a body good_," she thought appreciatively, liking how defined his back was and knowing how much work went into making his body that way. Although he was training to kill children and had an unfair advantage, she could be pleased about the end results from a physical standpoint. She couldn't wait to drag her nails down the sinewy back and feel the warm muscles that lay beneath. She wished his towel would drop off so she could take visual pleasure in the rest of his body.

Cato was startled and turned around quickly, clothes in hand when he heard a cat call whistle sound from his bed. He was too shocked to say anything when the girl of his fantasies was laying casually on his bed in nothing but standard issued black camisole and loose fitting pajama pants.

His shock turned to anger because if anyone found them they'd be in a kind of trouble there weren't words for. She was breaking at least a dozen rules of living in Tribute Tower, not that she cared but he did as he had no desire to pay the price of her stupidity.

"What are you doing here?!" he whispered angrily to her, trying to keep control of the volume of his voice. He wanted her to know her presence was unwelcomed but without alerting his mentors of her.

She internally laughed at his bravado. She had no doubt he was irritated by her presence but she couldn't help but to also notice how his gaze heated over her body and how tightly he gripped his towel. He was angry but he also didn't dislike her being on his bed and wearing very little. She gracefully sauntered off his bed and walked to him, almost at a glide and he couldn't believe someone could be to so graceful.

"I am here for a mutually beneficial…release if you will," she smiled as she slowly dragged a finger up and down his chiseled chest. Cato had to forcefully stop himself from shivering from the contact, his eyes blown in arousal and Goosebumps gracing his arms. If he didn't know any better it was as if his special alone time had wished her into reality to his bed.

"No one saw me come in, if that's what you're worried about. We only have a few more days, less than a week, left in this garish but comfortable place. I say we make the best of it."

Her voice was at least two octaves lower than what she spoke, giving it a sultry tone that promised heated encounters. Hotter than what he imagined the district furnaces raged to heat and run Panem. His throat felt dry and his ability to argue had left him completely. Every lesson on not bedding a girl until marriage was suddenly quieted as all the blood rushed from his head to underneath his terry cloth towel.

When she reached up to kiss him, he didn't stop her; lost in the same physical closeness he hungered for ever since she first kissed him earlier that afternoon.

Cato was so easy it almost wasn't fair but after her misses with Peeta and Gale, easy was what she wanted. She missed kissing and sex, something hard to come by in Panem. She obviously would never force her attentions on anyone who didn't want it but by the way Cato was reacting to her, he was more than willing to play along.

The District 2 male was eager for contact and to share any part of her that she was willing to give. He easily reconciled everything he was ever taught about pre-marital sex despite reminding himself and agreeing no more than minutes before.

She was going to die within the week, so it's not like she would have time to even know if he sired a bastard on her. Nemesis was freely offering herself, so it's not like he owed her any protection. Unlike Glimmer, she didn't mention an alliance at all so it would be her own folly if she expected it from him. Even if she claimed there was some sort of agreement, none of the others would hold him to it. She was just a girl from an outlier, no one would believe her and she'd make herself look like a harlot, losing sponsors left and right.

It would be advantageous to sleep with her, he convinced himself as he felt them moving towards the bed. He'd be crazy NOT to sleep with her, even. He would get her out of his system this one night, he didn't doubt one encounter would do the trick then he could forget all about soft lips and lovely curves. If anything, she'd be eating out of his hands. He had heard many of his male classmates saying one drawback to courting a girl was that they got clingy and insecure. The females were more inclined to do as they wished but dealing with a leech wasn't always worth it. So he would sleep with her then have her under his control, thinking that she was somehow affianced to him and when they got to the Bloodbath, he'd easily dispose of her. Part of him couldn't help but grin and couldn't wait until he could humiliate her in front of all Panem. He couldn't wait to see her face of betrayal as he chose the Career Pack over her just as she humiliated him and the rest of his alliance in front of the Gamemakers.

Nemesis wished he'd stop fooling around and take off her clothes. He seemed to be content with making out but she was there for one reason and that reason didn't involve her being dressed. Cato was surprised with how easily she was able to flip them onto his back but all thoughts of protest were lost when he felt her delicious weight on his cock and she slowly bucked her hips. He was even more aroused when slipped off her top and placed his hands upon her breasts. They were even softer and suppler than any that he had imagined; which was a lot given much interaction they were given with female classmates.

She knew how fragile male egos could be so she did her best not to laugh at the sheer look of joy and wonder that donned his face. Nemesis didn't want anything to ruin her chances at getting laid and laughing during sex was a quick way to ruin the mood. While she didn't want to stop his fun, she had an itch that needed to be scratched quickly. She wasted no time in standing above him, teasingly stripping off the rest of her clothes, and sinking onto him; enjoying the feeling of being full and congratulating herself on how his head was thrown back in pleasure.

She was awesome…and modest too.

With an experienced hand she rocked back and forth, savoring the feeling of being so intimately connected to someone. The stress of the Hunger Games and her duty as a Slayer melted away as she focused on her own desires. It wasn't just physical pleasure she craved, it was human contact. In those precious stolen moments, nothing mattered and she didn't have the responsibility of destiny or an apocalypse hanging on her shoulders.

Cato was lost in sensation and thoughts became extinct as all he could do was center in on Nemesis surrounding him. Afterwards he would think with perfect clarity and understood why some students would give up the chance at the Games for sex. In the throes of it, he couldn't think of anything else and nothing else mattered. Everything was worth the feeling of being inside a female and all else was secondary.

Sex made him an idiot and he didn't care.

He couldn't even think straight when she went at an agonizing slow pace, obviously enjoying herself but uncaring for what he wanted. Although feeling her surround every inch of him was an ecstasy he had never encountered before, he wanted it faster and rougher; to pound into her with abandon. He tried to grab hold of her hips and force her to go quicker but she was not having any of that. With a strong hand she pushed him down, oddly strong if he was in any kind of clear mindset, and then leaned down; kissing him mindless and still grinding into him at her own speed; clearly enjoying the best angle for her own pleasure. Although delirious, he had enough wits to know she was going to do what she wanted and all he could do was enjoy her riding him, forcing him to prolong the new sensations. Nemesis refused to let him just lie there and have her do all the work; she guided his hand to the apex of her thighs and put his fingers to good use.

Luckily for her, she had not had sex in almost a year and he had come in the shower beforehand; so she was quicker for release and as a virgin he was slower but not by much. At some point he had sat up, he was still within her as he wanted better leverage and access to her kiss; his hand still working furiously at the curious little nub in her womanhood she directed him to. When stroking it, it caused her to make strange little noises he'd never heard from a female. Noises he could tell she was enjoying herself very much. That knowledge made him preen and smile, assured in his masculinity. He became obsessed with feeling as much skin as she could give him, tasting all that she had to offer, exploring this new and exciting world of sexuality that had been denied to him before.

He had been lied to. Sex was not merely for procreation and there was nothing shameful about it in or out of marriage. His hand was not as good as being with a female and he didn't know how the Academy could fool them for so long. His and Nemesis' connection was beautiful and amazing as she unapologetically lost herself in him. Something was building up inside of him, a thousand times better than anything he felt by himself. He felt as if he was part of some sort of ancient dance that echoed through the ages. A beat lost in time but Nemesis knew by heart.

While he waxed poetic about his first time, Nemesis peppered kisses down his throat. When she got to the juncture of where his neck met his shoulders, she gave him a little love bite; leaving a dark purple bruise. He grunted at the new sensation, loving everything she was doing to him.

She'd thought it'd be hilarious to see him try to explain to his Mentors where the mark came from. And a little part of her that she would never admit to wanted Glimmer to see it as well. She was certain the other girl would know exactly what it was even if it seemed everyone in Panem was kept ignorant until marriage.

Nemesis felt her orgasm building and mercifully started to go faster, much to Cato's delight. She was ready to reach release and was not the type of girl to draw things out too long. While sex was a break from responsibility, it didn't mean she had all the time in the world and she had other things to do. Plus sex always made her hungry and she wanted to swing by the kitchens to make herself a snack.

Cato held onto her tightly, wanting her heat and contact desperately. In the cold mountains, he never felt truly warm as he had with her, a warmth that went down to his bones and filled him with a comfort he never knew could exist. She was riding him faster and finally both of them gave a tremor of release. Nemesis dug her nails into his back and raked them down as she let her climax run through her. Leaving one more mark for good luck. She felt him shake beneath her and flexed her muscled to milk his cock; she could never be accused of being a selfish lover.

His mind exploded, certain he could see stars. He gripped her even harder; afraid the feeling would have him slip away if he did not hold onto an anchor. She was finally pliable and gave up control, he moved her hips in little thrusts to stroke the last of his orgasm.

Soon the two kept still except for the heavy breathing from the exertions. The Slayer enjoyed the relaxing afterglow, wondering if she'd get in trouble if she made herself a sandwich in the D12's suite's kitchen.

Cato reveled in her warmth, not wanting the moment to end or to ever leave. He felt distinctly cold when she finally disengaged from him and flopped to the other side of the bed. They both laid back and didn't say a word. He had no idea how to even form a sentence to begin what just happened and she was happy for the midnight booty call, no need for words.

She didn't want to be rude so she turned her head to say "It's been fun" but Cato had already fallen asleep. She rolled her eyes because no matter what era or possibly alternate universe she was in, apparently men were all the same.

As quickly as she snuck in, she got dressed and went back to the District 12 suite; happy that the kitchen was still functional and no one seemed to be up. She watched the projector screen and flipped through channels on the lowest sound setting possible without waking up, her Slayer sense of hearing allowing the TV to be much lower than normal and still heard, as she happily munched on a roast beef sandwich, glad they had horseradish or at least something similar to it despite being purple. The bread was kind of odd as well but she couldn't find rye and wasn't about to wake one of the red liveried servants to find it.

She contented herself to what looked like a reality TV where Capitol Citizens tried to live in conditions similar but still far more comfortable than the other Districts. That episode they featured District 10 housing and all the clowns in puffy wigs were having a nightmare of a time in a barn.

The Slayer stayed up until the dawn, hoping there would be waffles for breakfast.

**A/N: If you don't think Cato is hot, you're wrong. lol **

**Besides some gratuitous sexy times, I wanted to showcase the vast difference on Nemesis' view on sex and Panem's. Cato is thinking, as much as he can *wink*, much deeper about it than she is. I also wanted to show case that despite what people are taught, it's amazing how quickly they can rationalize what they're doing if it's something they want to do. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

**The Hunger Games trilogy is owned by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games film is owned by Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate and their affiliates.**

**Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters, themes, and content therein belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions.**

**I am making no money from this endeavor. As for any original content: Any likeness, similarities, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events are unintentional and purely coincidental.**

**This fic has elements unique to both the book and the movie for The Hunger Games as well as elements from the Season 8 comic version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. **

Cato woke up, as usual, at seven A.M. sharp; his body didn't know he could sleep in and years of training at the Academy were not going to disappear in a couple nights. What was unusual was he woke up sticky and had vestiges of last night's escapades dried upon his cock and skin. His heart started to pound, fear crept in at what he had done the night before and Nemesis was nowhere to be seen. He berated himself as he took a shower, determined not to repeat the self pleasure that was inspired by that seductress and hope the Odds were in his favor and she slipped out unnoticed as she had slipped in. His trademark temper directed at himself as he stared at the steam soaked shower wall. He tried to block out the memories but his mind would not let him forget how utterly stupid he had been and how easily he gave in. Even the light pounding of his head against the tile did nothing to alter his memory.

He irately got dressed and went to breakfast, calming down as he could not afford ANYONE to know what he had done. He ate in silence as the others contemplated how to tackle the day. He was too busy volleying between heated thoughts of Nemesis, wanting to strangle her, and stressing that people could see he was no longer pure. He had noticed the small bruise Nemesis gave him and thankfully they were low enough to be covered by his training jersey. Despite that evidence being hidden, he was paranoid that the others would be able to someone instinctually tell he had given himself to her. He felt fundamentally different than he had the night before. Nemesis had altered something in his very blood, washing him with her scent and he just KNEW others could tell.

He was almost surprised when no one seemed to notice. How could they not tell if he could feel the change right under his skin, all around him, and in his core?

Clove noticed he was acting off but she thought it had something to do with the Games and although they commandeered his mind since he was old enough to know what the Games were, his first and only thoughts were on Nemesis.

His only saving grace was that he was certain she would come begging to him at training, asking for an alliance. He even smiled evilly at how crushed she was sure to look when he told her in no uncertain terms would he ever ally himself with a weak pathetic outlier district. And while their time together was enjoyable – to put it lightly but he'd never admit that to her – he had no intentions of repeating the event; after all, he could not sully himself with spoiled goods. He had heard another student say that to a female classmate once and she was never heard from again. The silly girl had burst into tears and dropped out of the Academy. He was certain Nemesis would have a similar if not worse reaction; after all he was the future winner of the Quarter Quell.

Anger soon gave way to arrogance and he was entirely confident not only did he do the right thing in sleeping with Nemesis but had boosted his alliance's chances in the Games. The mad girl was assuredly going to be heartbroken and then start to fear for her life as it became clear her plot to use sex as a bargaining chip would be for nothing. Surely Clove would be livid with him going against everything they were taught but once she saw how damaged Nemesis would be, he knew she'd forgive him and even congratulate him on his ingenious plan, a plan he had from the very beginning and all along he managed to convince himself.

He couldn't wait for training to begin.

When Nemesis didn't acknowledge his presence first thing since everyone gathered in the Training Center, he thought she was just biding her time. Plenty of females played the chasing game and he figured she would not be different. She was going to be plenty disappointed when he did not come to her.

He saw her conversing with Atala and then the head trainer ran away with tears in her eyes and not to be seen the rest of the day. Everyone was mystified and wondered what she could have said to Atala to make her leave in such a state but no one would answer, no matter how much they were prodded so the trainer's deputy took over until things could be sorted out.

When the day went on and all she did was hang out with the group from D6, he told himself that she was more resilient than most but she would soon crack and come begging to him for an alliance. How could she not?

When she chose to stack the mats together and take a nap, he persuaded himself it was because he had worn her out the night before and not being she was simply bored and had stayed up all night watching trashy Capitol reality TV shows. Obviously, just as he was skilled in weapons, he was unmatched with his prowess in the bedroom.

He was losing his patience when after her nap an Avox came down with the useless little fluff of fur she had acquired at the Tribute Parade. The damn thing yapped with happiness and she got to play around while everyone was breaking their back trying to learn something useful before they entered the arena. To his bafflement there were plenty of Tributes either drawn in by the animal's cuteness or curious about a creature with no utility but seemed to be better fed and taken care of than most humans. Even the little Tribute from 4 was making friends with Nemesis and had gotten more attention than Cato had gotten all day.

His mood soured and he was more aggressive than he had been even at the Academy, destroying dummies and decapitating them left and right. His fellow D2 teammates had the sense to back off and even Glimmer stopped trying to flirt with him, no one sure where his anger was coming from but figured it could only help them during the Bloodbath. And it was always better Cato vent his frustrations out on the mannequins or other district Tributes and not someone of their alliance although all had begun contingency plans of how to deal with the behemoth once their treaty broke.

If he didn't know any better, the scratches down his back and the bruise on his neck were evidence enough, he would have thought he was crazy and perhaps dreamt the entire thing up. It wouldn't have been the first time he woke from a vivid dream and his underwear had been a sticky mess. But even without her little marks he couldn't believe it was a dream. He would never have been able to come up with such a heated encounter from just his imagination. It was too hot, too intimate; too everything he never thought was possible. It was everything Panem and District 2 wasn't.

It wasn't until she was hanging all over that skinny rail from 6 that he started to get really incensed. How could she just throw herself around as she did? How could what they did the night before mean so little? She had to be the most infuriated and puzzling female he had ever come across. He was warned of manipulative females who would distract him from the Games or try to win favors but she wasn't doing any of that. He would have understood if she gave him some coy look as she obviously flirted with the D6 male. Given any kind of indication she was doing it to get under his skin but for all he could tell, he didn't exist to her.

He could no longer hold in the rage that boiled inside of him and while he knew enough not to hurt another Tribute, tossing around the training equipment was not as frowned upon. The others stepped back in fear and Clove shook her head, not understanding what was wrong with her district partner but had encountered a fit like that before. She knew enough that even her coaxing would not be able to calm him down and whatever he was angry at, he had to work through it himself. She could only hope that the Gamemakers would think it was a tactic to scare the other Tributes and not an indication of his lack of control.

"Cato!" an unbelieving voice called out, enough to pierce through his cloud of rage. He didn't know how he knew but he automatically stopped when he recognized Nemesis' voice.

Finally, she was acknowledging his existence and he had a random helmet in his hand that he was about to throw down. He froze immediately to hear what she had to say.

"Unattractive," was all the girl said before giving him an incredulous look and shaking her head while holding out her hand palm forward as if she wanted to push the image of his outburst away. Then, as if he had never thrown the tantrum she went back to casually talking to the boy from 6 and the cripple from 10.

The career pack was shocked to see that was enough to tame Cato's temper and wondered why and how the crazy girl from 12 was able to accomplish such a feat. The blond boy looked lost and if they didn't know better, hurt from the girl's words.

* * *

><p>Nemesis had decided not to go to bed that night, feeling it would be pointless to get restless sleep while she dreamt of fire and blood. She also didn't feel like hearing any cryptic messages from Slayers long gone. To her disappointment, the Capitol cooks didn't even know what waffles were and she settled for their version of pancakes which were ultra sweet and an off cream color rather than golden brown.<p>

When she got down to the training center, one of the few first at the door and ready to get the day started, she was inordinately pleased to see the bags under Atala's eyes and the trainer's overall disheveled appearance; betraying the horrible nightmares she knew the trainer must have had all throughout the night. She couldn't help but spitefully ask,

"Aww what's the matter Atala? Bad dreams?"

Nemesis spoke with such malice and a knowing smirk that the head trainer's breathe hitched in fear, not knowing how the girl could have known what kept her up. Did the girl know of the many children that visited her that night? Their ghastly faces rifled with anger and blood, all asking was it worth it to see them die. They all asked why weren't the odds in their favor and was their life worth the bed she slept on, the clothes she wore, or the house she lived in.

Atala had never felt guilt for what she did until that night, until she was faced with the angry children whose life was cut short for the entertainment of Panem. Before, she could forget the impoverished children from the outlying districts and go on with her life as if they had never existed. Their bodies quickly picked up by hovercrafts and shipped off to their families to be buried in the tradition of their Districts. The Gamemakers never let the bodies linger too long in the Arena; some were so badly mutilated or destroyed they didn't even look human. But she could not turn away nor close her eyes last night from the harsh truth of what she was a part of. The children wouldn't let her. The worst part was when she dreamt she WAS one of the children, one of the countless and nameless Tributes to fall at the Bloodbath. She was struck down with a heavy broadsword or a knife driven straight into her heart, she felt every stab and cut before her life drained; the last thing she remembered seeing was a smirking career Tribute or a digital sky booming with the sound of a canon; wishing she was anywhere but there or sometimes even glad it was all over. The fear was the worst part. Not knowing how long she had to live or wondering if she could even have the will to end another's life; neither option was desirable and she hated the burden of that choice; to die in the Arena alone or become a monster with the likelihood of it all being for naught. Pure instinct told her to run or to lash out. Her rational side whispered to her, why bother? What do you have to come home to? Surely it's better to die. The two sides constantly at war and horror of what could be lurking behind every rock or in the woods.

But it was all a dream. A massively horrifying but definitely NOT REAL dream…until Nemesis' knowing eyes told her differently.

Everything stood still as she realized the girl in front of her was far more dangerous than anyone she had ever encountered, even the heavily rose and blood scented President Snow. Their leader didn't have power over their dreams but somehow the pink haired girl from 12 did. Atala couldn't speak to answer her question; she couldn't move to run away, she couldn't do anything. All she could do is look into her knowing eyes and see the hundreds of children die over and over again, all angrily asking: why them?

Why them? Why anyone? The Capitol's propaganda of atonement fell empty and hallow. Why did the Hunger Games exist?

She had no answer and that twisted something in her gut and rattled her insides. How could she have no answer when she thought there was one all along? Or was it because it was the first time anyone had ever really asked?

Silently a tear ran down her face and looking around at more children set to die wondering how their bloodsoaked faces would look at her, she couldn't handle it any longer and ran outside the room. She no longer cared about her bonus check or all the material wealth it bought her, she needed to get away and hide from the angry stares and questions she couldn't answer.

Nemesis smiled at Atala's retreating back and whistled a happy tune as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She wasn't afraid that Atala would tell and even if she did, who would believe her? The head trainer would never know a good night's sleep ever again and she thought it was nothing less than what the woman deserved.

She spent the rest of the day getting to know the few people who were willing to join in an alliance. The more who sided with her, the more she was certain she could save. The others she felt bad for but with their sheer numbers, there was no way she could help them all; especially if they were going to be in some huge arena with death traps and Tributes scattered about.

She had stopped too many Apocalypses and fought too many demons to be naïve enough to think she could save everything. That lesson was well taught early on.

She wanted to get Squishy on her team but he was already spoken for with the Career Tributes. She could tell he'd rather be with her as the other D4 Tributes were hostile and scary but at least there was an unspoken agreement between them all that they'd kill all the others before turning on each other. She figured she could scoop him up before then. The others were old enough to make their own decisions about their fate. If they chose not to side with her then Fortune would decide their future. But with Decker and Rue, she would make it priority to save them.

Rue was particularly wary of Nemesis; the mocha skinned girl could sense a darkness in the other girl. A darkness that screamed predator and made her want to run up into a tree and never come down. She would much rather trust the scowling but good hearted Katniss Everdeen, the girl who volunteered to save her sister. She knew what it was like to be a big sister, she had hoped never to have to deal with having a sibling called while she was still eligible or even out of the Reaping. She'd like to think she was as brave and loving as Katniss, to go in her sister's stead if little Sage was picked out of the fishbowl. But the realistic part of her, part of her that she was ashamed about, said maybe she wasn't. That maybe if Sage or any of her other siblings were called she would stand idly by. It's what happened to Peeta. She had heard through the Holovision that he had two older brothers, one within Reaping age who said nothing as his brother went to the stage and only silence when the Capitol escort paused to see if she'd be lucky enough to get two volunteers in an outlier district. They also wouldn't be the first in any of the Districts to have a sibling called; all secretly glad it wasn't them no matter how much they loved them.

In the end, most loved themselves more…but not Katniss. She could trust Katniss. Nemesis? Not so much.

So Nemesis was happy to lounge around and play with Fluffer Nutter, one of the crimson dressed servants had brought him down at her request. She could tell most were curious about the little fluff ball but too nervous to come near her. Or perhaps so unused to a frivolous item such as a pet, they didn't know how to do with him even if they did want to approach her.

Myles and the boy from 10, his name Bo, were strategizing. She was seeing what they might be good at and it wasn't a lot; at least not in terms of fighting. Myles was handy with numbers and his track at school was engineering. He was good at devising plans for building trains but for the immediate survival in the games, she couldn't think of anything he could contribute. Bo, on the other hand, was raised on a farm. He knew plenty of gathering skills and was picking up quickly on the computer modules about flora and fauna. He also had some basic carpentry skills and knew how to wield a hammer. His obvious weakness was his bum ankle but that need not be too big of an issue as long as they helped each other out.

A lot of their survival seemed to be based on faith in Nemesis but what other choice did they have? Myles was targeted by Cato and Bo probably wouldn't last a day if he didn't perish in the Bloodbath. He knew he couldn't survive without any supplies but he wasn't physically strong enough to fight the Career Pack, even if he didn't hurt himself in the tractor accident that messed up his leg, which would definitely go for the Cornucopia as soon as they could come off the platforms.

The two morphlings played with their paints as they had the day before, making swirl patterns up and down Nemesis' arm as she talked strategy. They couldn't understand how she could be so serious about what they were going to do while at the same time humor drug addled Tributes with such kindness and compassion.

Nemesis didn't make any kind of sense but perhaps such chaos could help them in the long run. If they couldn't understand her, they were certain the utilitarian District 2 were even more at a loss.

But she could make them feel almost as if they weren't in the Capitol training for the Games. She joked around with them and had no trouble ruffling their hair. Myles tried to keep things dignified by discouraging her but that only made her laugh and egg her on. She play fought with him and he fought back, feeling like he was back home with his cousins rough housing.

Their play ended when they heard a commotion where the Career pack had set up shop, the weapons range. The so called "Beast of the Arena" Cato was throwing things in a rage and all stepped back a little in fear, even the trainers who should have no fear of any Tribute. No one seemed to know what set him off but the D6 boy knew the male was several track nails loose in his head and probably imagined something to be enraged about.

It wasn't until Nemesis said something that the boy finally calmed down and Myles would even say looked embarrassed by his behavior. The pink haired girl might be crazy but she did have a way with people, he would give her that. If he had to be in an alliance he'd rather be with the mad girl he couldn't understand than the desperate and probably stab him in the back Tribute everyone else was.

Nemesis felt she had done all she could with her little rag tag group of Tributes. She would keep them alive as long as she could while she figured out how in the hell to escape the Arena. If the Capitol could send them in then there had to be a way to force themselves out.

She grew bored, Atala was no longer there to antagonize and everyone else took to avoiding her. Myles and Bo beefed up on their outdoor survival knowledge while Katniss, Peeta, and Jasper did their own training. She knew she wouldn't prank them as they really needed the lessons.

That only left the Career Pack. She had done enough to them and they were smart enough not to mess with her anymore so she felt she could cut them some slack. She figured she'd give the weapons modules a go even though she couldn't fully utilize them with her Slayer powers.

She mindlessly toyed with the metal spear in her hand, concentrating on how to not throw properly and give herself away which was more difficult than learning how to throw to begin with. She noticed how perfectly streamline the shaft was and balanced in proportion to the razor sharp head. In any other situation she would love to see how it could fly through the air but she settled for poor stance and letting it drop too soon before the target. At least she was getting a feel for it in her hand and could brandish it when the time to do or die arrived.

She sensed a presence come up from behind her and normally she would have dropped kicked them without hesitation but she also knew she could handle any of the Tributes or the training staff. It turned out to be the brain dead pretty boy from 1. She couldn't remember if he was Marvel or Champagne, she stifled a laugh when thinking of their names; names that would fit more in a gentlemen's club than given to an actual child.

"You need to widen your stance and firm up your grip," the male said sensually with a practiced purr. He had a megawatt smile and though empty headed, he knew how to be charming. He placed a hand gently on her hip and slowly brushed his hand to where she was holding the spear. She let him guide her movements and the weapon sail to the target. It didn't hit bullseye but it was far superior to anything she had managed so far.

The handsome boy smiled down at her with bedroom eyes and she fluttered her eyes at him. An arrogant smirk donned his face, thinking he had her hook line and sinker. He fully expected her to thank him and give him an opening to work his way into her pants and heart, just like Gloss had taught him.

He never saw the headbutt coming and next thing he knew there was an explosion of pain in the middle of his face, he law on the ground clutching his broken nose, and blood poured out down his shirt in rivulets.

"I don't know what insipid idiot you think I am that you can seduce but I'm not her," Nemesis cordial told him as if she were explaining what a nice day it was to a friend.

The Career Pack looked gobsmacked and couldn't stop looking at Marvel, back to Nemesis, then back to Marvel. Unsure of what just happened actually happened because NOTHING like that ever happened in Training.

Only Cato was happy at the turn of events as he was never on board with D1's plan to begin with. He couldn't think of a reason why they shouldn't and let the arrangement go ahead. He was certain that despite Nemesis' indifference towards him that day, she would not fall prey to an idiot like Marvel. He was so happy, although he wasn't one hundred percent sure why, that if she wasn't interested in him at least she wasn't interested in anyone else. She might touch the boys from 6 and 10 more than he liked but it wasn't anything overtly sexual.

He became less cheerful when she turned her eyes on them. She hadn't said anything yet but they way she was looking at them he would have thought they were dead men walking.

The other trainers had rushed to help Marvel and took him straight to the medical area. She didn't seem to care that she would be in a Panem of trouble. Best case scenario would be that she'd get a stern talking to. Worst case scenario would be that they would deduct the costs of fixing Marvel from her Sponsor account. If she didn't have anything then it'd fall to her Mentor to foot the bill. He couldn't refuse but he could press her family for reparations, causing even a well to do family in the outlier districts into poverty.

She didn't seem to care.

"Now ya'll gone done and fucked up. I was bored with messin' with you yesterday but now you try to pull some bullshit seduction routine? Ya'll are on my shitlist now. And it is going to be my priority to be creepiest and most annoyin' thing to happen to you in your life."

Her accent had changed and he wasn't sure if it was something D12 citizens did when they were angry, but her lazy twang sent a shiver down his body, straight to his cock; unsure why he found it so arousing. He even liked that she was threatening him; the ability to take care of herself was evident.

Cato would soon learn there was nothing sexy about being on the bad side of a Slayer.

She first targeted Glimmer, the perfect specimen of grace and beauty. Nemesis took to staring at a spot on the girl's forehead, trying to keep from outright laughing. The luxury district's female frontrunner tried to ignore the stares and the obvious refrain from laughing and couldn't help but wonder what Nemesis could be staring at. A million thoughts rushed to her head, all cataloging what could possibly be imperfect. She had done every skin treatment the Capitol had to offer, everything smoothed and every pore reduced to nothing. Not a hair was out of place and make-up was expertly applied. Even when she was working out, nothing would mar her pristine features. She somehow managed to figure out the secret to a sweatless exercise routine and always looked her best.

But Nemesis saw something, something that wasn't perfect and she could not handle the thought. Imperfection was a weakness, something enemies could exploit and turned sponsors away.

Imperfection was unacceptable.

At first she compulsively checked her mirror - which she always kept on hand - , noticing nothing out of sorts. But the mad girl would not stop starring! It got worse when the other girl started to whisper to her alliance, they too saw something and refrained from laughing, although confused at first when Nemesis first approached them.

Cato could tell the blonde beauty was having a hard time with Nemesis' psychological onslaught. Every moment from the time she was born, perfection and beauty was ingrained in Glimmer's head. The cold beauty started to get heated but tried to remember Cashmere's lessons.

Just keep smiling.

Try as she might, Glimmer struggled as insecurity filled her; all lessons and training going out the window.

Finally, she could take it no longer and demanded Nemesis tell her what she was staring at.

"Oh, nothing…" Nemesis distractedly told her while glancing at the spot above Glimmer's eyes obviously meaning there was definitely something. There truly was nothing there but acted as if there were and she was too polite to point it out.

She was glad her mindfuck was working, something she had employed before when training with other Slayers. It was mean and vindictive but sometimes it's how girls fought. She wasn't very proud of being the mean girl but it was necessary for surviving in an all girl social group.

Whispering to her alliance, pretending to talk to them about Glimmer but actually giving instructions on how to act was priceless. They were confused when she told them to glance at Glimmer then look away quickly, then to pretend to keep in laughter but they did as they were told. It worked beautifully because it was clear to them the District 1 beauty was becoming unhinged.

Glimmer started to keep to herself, wanting time to herself to regroup. She felt like they could all see the imperfection Nemesis had spotted and she couldn't handle the thought of it. Marvel had come back with a bandage on his face, marring his handsome features. She stuck by him because then at least they could focus on his obvious imperfection and ignore whatever was wrong with her.

Nemesis moved onto Sparkle, Champagne, Nero, and Seppia; the B Teams of D1 & 2. It didn't take more than a few well placed barbs about being second place and obviously not as good as their counterparts to send them into a rage and downward spiral of insecurity.

Although they were the strongest competitors in the Quarter Quell, they had particularly fragile egos.

That just left Cato and Clove. They were confident that whatever Nemesis had to say, it would roll off their backs. It appeared she knew that as well because she stepped back and quizzically stared at them, wondering what to do with them. Clove smirked knowingly, even Nemesis knew there was nothing anyone could say that would tear her down. And Nemesis didn't know Clove enough to know how her family was fairly indifferent to her being in the Games until she actually won.

Cato sweated a bit, worried that Nemesis would bring up their encounter. But it didn't seem like she was interested in going that route.

She knew that they had the confidence and skill to back up their arrogance in the arena. They also had no invested interest in their looks, so trading barbs about superficial things such as beauty would have no effect on them. She also couldn't physically fight them. Not only had she gotten an earful from Haymitch about knocking in Marvel's nose in front of everyone, Cato and Clove had actual skills in combat. If she wanted to do actual damage to them, she'd give away her own talents. Something she was not willing to do just yet.

So really she had no choice but to create a paint bomb from the camo table and throw it in the middle of Cato and Clove while they set up to do their knife throwing round at the weapons module.

Clove had thought she was safe from Nemesis's pranks. The staff had already put a leash on her violent outburst, something she was somewhat impressed though she would never say so out loud, and there was nothing the girl could say that she would care about. She wasn't some airheaded bimbo like Glimmer and Sparkle. She was top choice to win unlike Seppia and Nero. She and Cato were untouchable.

That was why when Nemesis shouted "Fire in the hole!" and the subsequent burst of paint in her face came as such a shock. She was overly confident she was above and beyond anything Nemesis could throw at her, figuratively speaking, that she didn't see the mad girl literally throwing something. One moment she was trying to perfect Cato's ability to throw a small dagger, not even coming close to her own abilities but it was good for a beginner, and then a splat! was heard and her world turned a rainbow of colors. Nemesis had managed to make some sort of weak explosive of paint, every color they offered apparently, and she was covered head to toe. Cato wasn't much better off but both of them looked like something out of a Capitol fashion monstrosity of bright colors. Why they were included for the camouflage module she had no idea as any of the colors would make them stand out like a beacon.

For the first time, Clove found herself in a Cato proportion rage and it was him that had to hold her back and not the other way around. She was a hairs' span close to throwing one of her infamous daggers right between the pink haired girl's eyes but her partner's strong grip prevented her.

An angry growl erupted from her chest, something she didn't know she had in her, and she flailed about; wanting nothing more than to lash out and hurt the girl who was smirking at her in mirth. It incensed her further when she saw that not only was the gutter rat from 12 laughing at her but all the other Tributes were smiling as well. All getting a good laugh at her humiliation when they ought to be cowering for their lives.

The uncontrolled rage that flowed in her blood like poison, tainting her insides and forcing common sense out. Cato putting a stop to that rage caused her eyes to tear as the anger had no other outlet. She always had the fortitude to kill but it was the first time she had ever wanted to do it for her own pride; to avenge the honor that Nemesis had besmirched and she did not want to wait for the Bloodbath.

Under different circumstances, Cato would have sat back and watched Clove work her deadly daggers; amused at Nemesis' gumption but feeling her quick death was nothing less than she deserved and how incredibly stupid it would be for anyone to get on his best friend's bad side. In any other situation, he would have joined Clove in her revenge and helped hide the body.

But they were in the Hunger Games and he could not afford to lose his strongest ally nor the only person he actually respected. So he was paying Clove back for all the times she's saved his silly neck from trouble by preventing her from killing Nemesis. He was embarrassed too but, to his horror, he didn't want to kill Nemesis. Not only to prevent his sponsorship money from vanishing but whatever he had with her, he needed it answered. That wouldn't happen if she was dead.

"Clove, calm down. Remember where you come from," he said sternly in her ear. She was so distraught she almost didn't hear or understand him but he could tell he was getting through to her.

"We'll get her at the Bloodbath, I promise. We can do whatever we want in the Arena."

That was enough for her to go limp in his arms although he could tell she was still upset. She wouldn't dignify Nemesis with an answer but took a towel from a trainer ungratefully and started to wipe off the muck that covered her.

Cato started to do the same but quickly figured out it would not be much use. His jersey was ruined and they would need to shower in order to clean off. Life in the Academy had left little room for modesty or shyness, so without thinking he took off his shirt on his way to the showers.

"Yeah Cato! Take it off," Nemesis shouted from across the room. When he looked at her, she lewdly eyed him up and down then wiggled her eyebrows.

It was the first time she made any indication of her sexual attraction to him that day and it was not how he thought it would all go at all. She still clearly did not want an alliance with him but for whatever reason was not bashful letting others know she was attracted to him.

Nemesis was not the only one who appreciated how the muscled in Cato's back rippled under his skin and how broad his shoulders were. She did not miss the look that lingered too long upon the D2 male and a wicked smile graced her lips.

"Aww I saw that Champagne," she pointedly told the D1 male with an exaggerated wink.

The boy in question was shaken out of his daze and his heart stopped. He had always been so careful of hiding his unnatural…urges. Careful not to stare at his dorm mates as they changed, laugh too hard at Marvel's jokes, or love how other boys smiled. He was always so careful not to admire hard lines and pretended to instead love soft curves. He carefully studied how Gloss showed love to rich Capitol ladies and mimicked him the best he could. He intuitively knew that Gloss was hiding something, the Mentor was never in love or even attracted to the women he kept company. Maybe Gloss too had forbidden attractions but he never dared to ask. He was always so careful to keep his mask on but with Cato surprising them with taking off his shirt for Champagne to be in awe at how beautiful he thought the male form was, he was caught off guard. Now Nemesis knew his dirty little secret and with just one accusation, he could be kicked out of the Games and probably sentenced to death on the spot. It happened enough at the D1 Academy and in town.

He started to sweat but at least it was clear no one else knew what the girl was talking about, especially Cato. Nemesis didn't expound and he was never more grateful to the insane girl. Perhaps she wanted some sort of alliance in exchange for her silence and he would have to give it to her. But a contingency plan was already forming in his head. He would do an alliance with her but he had no intention of keeping it. He would kill her as soon as possible and it was apparent more than one Career already had that plan. He just needed to keep her quiet long enough to silence her forever.

**A/N: Poor Cato, no idea what to do with himself. So many things going on! Now you guys know why this turned into a monster. So many avenues I want to explore and since it is fanfiction, I'll do it! lol **

**There is still a lot to come, enjoy!**


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